A Lifetime Erased
by Ayla Pascal
Summary: Love and hate have always been opposite sides of the same coin. Elfangor left certain events out of his hirac delest. He once spent a lifetime on a world with Visser Three. This is the story.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

My name is Alloran-Semitur-Corrass. Through an evil twist of fate, I am Visser Three's host body. He is currently reading _hirac delest_ of Prince Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul. It is interesting to read such a detailed account of the day I was infested by this evil Yeerk that now resides inside my skull, its body wrapped around my brain, its palps tapped into my neurons. I also find it interesting how much Elfangor has left out.

As host body to Visser Three, I have seen many things. I have seen unspeakable evils. I have felt Elfangor kicking and screaming as my body swallowed him whole. I have killed infants as they lay in their mother's arms. I have destroyed entire civilisations, laughing as they perished.

I have also experienced many strong emotions from Visser Three. Hatred. Fear. Anger. As well as an emotion I would hesitate to call love.

Love is something Yeerks do not feel, but it was close. Very close. Too close.

The emotions I feel seeping through from Visser Three as he reads is overwhelming. And with these emotions come memories.

Memories of a lifetime spent on an imagined world.

Memories that Elfangor seemed to have forgotten as he recorded his _hirac delest._

Beautiful, horrible, _wonderful _memories.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author Notes**: I apologise for having to use square brackets instead of triangular brackets for thought speak. If anybody can give me tips on how to code triangular brackets for this site, it would be very helpful! I know the HTML code, but that doesn't seem to work when I upload chapters.

**Chapter 1**

My name is Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul. This is my true _hirac delest._ I left out years out of my memories when I transmitted them to the Andalite ship's computer. I was ashamed and I wanted to forget what had truly happened when the Ellimist showed me the universe.

When he lifted me out of that space-time continuum, I saw all twelve dimensions laid out in front of me like one of those puzzle games Loren loved to play. I saw all possibilities. I saw the possibility of five humans and my younger brother joining together to fight the Yeerks. I saw the possibility of the Yeerks winning the war and all the sentient peoples of this galaxy falling under the Yeerk Empire. I even saw a reality where we never interfered with Yeerk development, where Seerow's Kindness never happened and we had a galaxy at peace.

And then I saw something that shocked me. It was a thread of light, fragile, beautiful and almost impossible.

The Ellimist laughed at my astonishment. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THAT UNIVERSE?

I could feel it the possibility dangling before my eyes, like the beautiful grass sculpted by artists back on the Andalite home world, like the promise of caviar at the end of a long day at the office. It was bait, I knew it, but there was something about that universe. It was horrifying, yet I could feel an overwhelming surge that the universe was a happier place than the universe I had lived in for the past four years.

I shook my head. It was ridiculous. I loved Loren. I would always love her. This bait that the Ellimist was dangling before my eyes was a lie. It was impossible.

NOT IMPOSSIBLE, ELFANGOR.

I slid easily into the lines of time and could see a beautiful world. It was as if somebody had swirled Earth together with the Yeerk and Andalite home worlds but it wasn't the monstrosity that was created by myself, Loren and the Yeerk who was now Visser Three. It was a beautiful meld of worlds.

THIS COULD HAPPEN, ELFANGOR. PEACE COULD BE ACHIEVED.

My Andalite training told me that what he said was lies. The scepticism I had gained while interacting with humans told me that it was lies. But yet, my hearts were drawn towards it.

ONE YEAR, ELFANGOR. I WILL GIVE YOU ONE YEAR. AFTER THAT, YOU DECIDE WHETHER TO STAY OR GO BACK TO YOUR ANDALITE BRETHERN.

I would have whipped my head around in that typical human manner to stare at the Ellimist, but I was being whirled through time and space. The stars, planets, quasars and black holes spun around me like child's toys.

I could feel that there were trials ahead.

I felt my body twist and change back into a form that ought to have been familiar to me.

Opening my stalk eyes, I realised that I was on that planet I had seen. I was in a forest. Around me were Earth trees. I thought I could recognise conifers.

And then I blinked. I could also recognise _therant_ trees. These particular trees weren't familiar to me; however, they were most definitely Andalite trees. I ran over and stroked the smooth bark of the tree. It was then that I saw a Yeerk pool, not two metres away from the _therant_ trees.

I could remember seeing this world from above and thinking how beautiful it was. But now that I was down here, I couldn't see it any more. I wished that I was human so that I could curl those expressive human lips in an expression of disgust. The Yeerk pool looked so out of place. Earth trees and Andalite trees blended in together, but here and there, there were Yeerk elements, never isolated but they always stood out.

Looking up, the sky was swirled with red, gold, blue, grey and green. It was like a rainbow. A horrifying rainbow.

[WHY?] I screamed at the sky.

To my imagination, the Ellimist seemed to laugh at me.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 2**

For the first few days – or it could have been mere hours, I was having difficulty with my internal time management – I paced around. I barely noticed that I was absorbing the necessary nutrients with my hooves or that it had started raining. My fur matted to my body and I briefly considered morphing into human except then I remembered that I had no clothes. The Ellimist hadn't been considerate enough to provide me with any.

In fact, the Ellimist hadn't been considerate enough to provide me with anything. It seemed that this Ellimist simply left me here to fend for myself. I might have starved to death if I was still in my human body, however, in my Andalite body, there was plenty of fresh grass and water.

I knew that from what I had seen, that I wasn't going to be alone for much longer. There was going to be somebody else here and if I was right, I wasn't going to like the company much. That kept me from going crazy. It kept me from imagining that there were monsters in the night.

I began to count the days.

The Ellimist told me that I was going to be on this planet for a year. I could do nothing else but assume that he was telling the truth. Unreasonably, I had assumed that it was an Earth year with Earth-like days. Now that I was on the planet, that made sense. Although it looked like a mix of Yeerk, Andalite and human worlds, the air was that of Earth. Fortunately, Andalite bodies are hardier than those of humans and I did not find the air difficult to breathe.

I resisted the urge to morph back into my human body. It was weak, far weaker than my natural Andalite form, even though irrationally, I felt safer as a human. I did not have any powerful morphs, and in any case, I could not have stayed morphed long.

Instead, I ensured that I stayed alert by constantly scanning the environment using my stalk eyes. I found that they took some getting used to. I tended to find myself wanting to twist my head around to check behind me and consequently, I almost fell over several times. Fortunately, there was nobody there to watch me.

Unlike the last world that was created, this time, there were no animals, no humans, no Andalites and no Yeerks. For the last one, I was glad. However, I would have swapped a thousand Yeerk monsters for just one human or Andalite to talk to.

-***-

It was my fifth day on the world that I could remember when I saw a bright streak of light across the swirled sky. It burned like a shooting star and made my hearts ache for Loren. She would have forgotten me. Worse, to her, it would have seemed like she had never known me. I knew that it had to be this way, intellectually, but emotionally, it burned like a fire inside me.

I raced toward a far point in the forest where the streak of light had fallen. As I neared, I could smell burning wood. I saw a fallen _therant_ tree and mourned its passing.

I stopped dead in my tracks when I realised what was lying as wreckage in front of me. It was a Yeerk fighter, sleek and new, despite having fallen and crashed on this planet. Inside the cockpit, I could see a flash of somebody in there struggling to get out.

My tail twitched as I walked closer. I moved some of the wreckage out of the way and managed to lever open the door of the cockpit. Inside, four eyes focused and glared balefully at me.

[Elfangor.]

I supposed I already knew deep down who it was going to be. The Ellimist had shown me and I – as a fool – had taken the bait. But I couldn't stop myself from arching my tail in surprise and pressing the blade against his throat.

[Visser Three,] I said flatly.

Surprise flared in Visser Three's eyes. [I take it you have heard of my promotion.]

He didn't seem fazed by the fact I was one twitch of my tail away from slicing his head off. I could just see it. I closed my main eyes, keeping my stalk eyes trained on Visser Three, and breathed in deeply. [You should be more polite,] I told him. [I could kill you right now.]

Visser Three made a rude Andalite gesture. I kept on being surprised whenever he did such Andalite things. I knew he had access to all of Alloran's memories, but I didn't like having proof of it. [If you were going to do that, you would have done so already.] His tone was sneering. [But you won't. You Andalites have such high morals. It would be against your highest War Conventions. My, my, what would the Council say if little Elfangor took the law into his own hands?]

I clenched my hands into fists. It was true what he was saying. But then I remembered what had happened last time I had refused to kill so-called innocent prisoners. I had ended up having a hand in creating the abomination in front of me. [You're right,] I said coldly. [I won't kill you.]

There was smug satisfaction in Visser Three's eyes.

I lifted my tail blade and swung it. I took satisfaction in the panic that flashed in his eyes before I hit him on the side of the head with the flat of my blade.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 3**

After I had disabled Visser Three, I used ropes that I found in his crashed Yeerk fighter to tie him up. I wasn't going to allow him to escape. I knew exactly how wily Visser Three could be.

Then, I ran.

I ran away into the distance, not caring where I was going, my hooves kicking up clods of dirt. I knew I was leaving a very visible pathway for people to follow, but I didn't care. There was nobody on this forsaken planet except me and now, Visser Three. It was ironic. Out of all the people who could have crashed onto this planet, it had to be him.

I still remembered what the Ellmist had shown me but my mind balked at the thought. It couldn't happen. I had always believed very strongly in free will and my years living with Loren and humans had taught me that this was more important than ever. I made my choices. No matter what the Ellimist said or did, I had the choice here. What I saw in the Ellimist vision wasn't important. I vowed for what seemed like the thirtieth time since I had arrived on this planet to ignore what the Ellimist had shown me.

I could go back and kill Visser Three. I could press my tail blade against his throat and watch as his head rolled off his shoulders. I could torture him to find out what he knew and then leave him tied up in a place where he couldn't reach grass or water. The elements would kill him within a week.

I slowed down and finally stopped beneath a tree. I could feel my hearts pounding. I was no murderer. I wouldn't kill Visser Three. If I killed him, then I was no better than a Yeerk.

There was a small part of my mind that told me that Visser Three would keep me sane. There had been Andalites in isolation for shorter periods than a year that had gone crazy. We were herd animals, evolved from creatures who never strayed far from the pack or family. I had only been here for little more than a week but already I was feeling the strain of loneliness.

It was with this thought in mind that I slowly walked back to where Visser Three was tied up. When I got there, I noticed that he had awoken and was now glaring at me balefully.

[Come to finish me off?]

I didn't answer him, but simply walked up to him, and raised my tail blade. There it was again, the flash of panic in Visser Three's eyes. It was apparent that Visser Three was frightened of me. For all his blustering, Visser Three obviously didn't believe that I would uphold the Andalite morals towards prisoners.

[I'm not going to kill you,] I said coldly.

His eyes betrayed his surprise.

I hesitated, my tail blade an inch away from cutting his restraints. [We're alone on this planet,] I told him. [I presume you've had a chance to look around. This is the Ellimist's doing. I've been here for days and there is no sign of any other animal life, sentient or not. Neither of us have allies here.] I paused. I wanted to ask for a truce but I knew better than to take a Yeerk at his word. With one swift motion I cut the restraints.

Awkwardly, Visser Three levered himself out of the wreckage of his ship and stood up. He brushed his fur off, an oddly delicate motion in such an evil creature. [I suppose I ought to thank you,] he said.

I shrugged. From the puzzled expression on Visser Three's face, I realised that I had picked up more gestures than I had meant to from humans. [Don't thank me yet. The Ellimist told me we would be here for an Earth year.]

Visser Three snorted. [Ah yes,] he said. [The always meddling Ellimist. He seems awfully fond of those humans from Earth, does he not?] He focused his main eyes on mine while his stalk eyes were scanning the environment. [I wonder why that is, Elfangor?]

The way he said my name made me uncomfortable. It was too personal. I disliked having a Yeerk, especially _this_ Yeerk use my name. [I'm afraid I don't know, Esplin.]

There was a flash of something in his eyes and then it disappeared. [I suppose since we're going to be alone here that, yes, we should be informal,] he said. [You may use my name.]

His tone irritated me. I wasn't looking for his permission. To my shock, I suddenly realised that I had stopped trying to scan the environment with my stalk eyes. I was trusting this Yeerk too much, or I had grown soft while living with humans. Either way, I expected that if I wasn't careful, as soon as my back was turned, Visser Three would slam his tail blade into me.

Visser Three was looking at me quizzically. [I expected that you would want a truce while we are both on this planet.]

I narrowed my eyes. [A truce made with Yeerks isn't worth the breath. We both know the result the last time that was tried.] With that, I turned around and began to walk back to where I had made my scoop on this strange world. My stalk eyes were still trained on Visser Three who was standing very still.

He had a thoughtful expression on his face that I didn't like.

I walked faster, not wanting him to see my arms trembling. I walked until I could no longer see him and then I walked some more until I was positive that he wasn't following me. Had Visser Three been suggesting a truce? No, that was ridiculous, I decided.

I had to stay on my guard and ensure that my sleep was light. Undoubtedly, Visser Three was currently planning my grisly demise and I was determined to stay alive.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 4**

Over the next few days, I did my best to avoid Visser Three, while scouting around for traps he might have set for me. Even in this short time, we had already set up our own territories. When I first realised that, I had laughed. It was almost as though we had reverted into being primitive Andalites. I had established a very small safe area that I had surrounded with traps that only I knew how to disable. I felt reasonably safe sleeping within this area even though I still kept one stalk eye open at night. There was no sense in underestimating Visser Three.

It was therefore surprising to me that after four days, I still hadn't seen Visser Three. I frowned. Was he serious about the truce?

I was suspicious. While I ate, slept and performed the normal rituals of daily Andalite life, Visser Three might have been planning my grisly demise.

It was with this in mind that I headed towards the crashed ship. I decided that it was likely that Visser Three would have made his scoop around there. As I walked towards it, I kept my stalk eyes scanning the environment and my tail arched high. I was definitely ready should Visser Three jump out of the shadows and attack.

However, as I neared the crashed ship it was obvious that my caution had been in vain. In fact, it seemed that Visser Three had not been thinking of me at all the last four days. From what I could tell, Visser Three had taken apart the entire Yeerk fighter, which was now lying in little pieces around him. Visser Three was kneeling awkwardly among the pieces, fiddling with something that looked like part of the engine.

[Ah, Elfangor,] Visser Three said, as one of his stalk eyes looked in my direction. [I was wondering when you would show up.]

[What are you doing?] I demanded.

He looked up towards me. [I thought Andalites were supposed to be clever.]

[You're trying to fix the ship,] I said flatly.

[Yes,] Visser Three said irritably as he turned back towards the piece of engine he was working on. I watched as he attempted to connect a blue wire with a red wire with little success. A part of me was feeling rather miffed that he obviously wasn't considering me a worthy adversary. Visser Three's tail blade was resting on the ground; he was obviously not anticipating an attack.

I stepped forward, arching my tail blade slightly.

Visser Three's tail blade twitched. [I wouldn't do that, Elfangor.]

I wished he would stop saying my name. It made me rather uncomfortable. I was also rather amused at his efforts. He was never going to get off this world at this rate. It seemed that neither Visser Three nor Alloran knew anything about mechanics and fixing spaceships.

It was then that the obvious occurred to me. This was a spaceship in front of me! Of course, it was lying in hundreds of pieces, however, I was positive that I would be able to fix it in a few months. With help, I could possibly get it working again within weeks!

I looked at Visser Three. Did I trust him to help? I thought I could. He obviously wanted to get off this planet as much as I did. Of course, it was possible that we wouldn't be able to get off the planet, but it didn't hurt to try. [I have a proposition to make,] I said.

Visser Three stared at me. [Oh?]

Belatedly, I realised that my words could have been taken a different way. I kept my face neutral and endeavoured not to look embarrassed. [The way you're fixing the ship won't work,] I said, pointing to what Visser Three was doing. [I can help you. We can get off this planet together.]

[An interesting idea,] Visser Three said slowly. He stood up slowly and turned to look at me.

[I am... familiar with the technology in that craft,] I said, diplomatically. In fact, I recognised almost all the technology. Most of it was Andalite, with a little borrowed from the Skrit Na.

[I see,] Visser Three said, sounding amused with my efforts at diplomacy. [I believe you would be familiar with it. I suppose we have a truce then.]

[Yes,] I said. [I suppose we do.] This did not make me feel as comfortable as I had hoped. I still didn't trust Visser Three and I very much doubted that he trusted me. However, I thought I could rely on him not trying to kill me while we had a common goal and while I was still of use to him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 5**

After several hours of intensely studying the Yeerk fighter, I established that the Z-space engine was no longer working. I also began to realise that my skills at repairing Andalite vessels had become somewhat rusty after all the years I had spent on earth. The Yeerk fighter used a slightly upgraded Z-space engine compared to what I was used to and there were more cannibalised alien parts than I had first realised.

Visser Three spent the entire time staring over my shoulder, a process that made me intensely uncomfortable. If I twisted my stalk eyes slightly, I found his face only a few inches away. It was rather unnerving to have somebody scrutinising my work so carefully.

I was also not very pleased with the idea of having to share Andalite technology with this Yeerk. It was possible for me to fix the ship all by myself, but impractical. With Visser Three's help, it would go much faster. Still, I hesitated before breaking the law of Seerow's Kindness. This wasn't on the same level as my sharing bits of Andalite knowledge with my human friends. That knowledge would have advanced human society, but only by about five years at most. This was sharing information with the Yeerks. Worse, this was sharing information with one of the worst Yeerks I had ever come across, a Yeerk who had personally made me his sworn enemy.

Still, I had no other choice.

[Good news. The normal engines are relatively easy to fix,] I told him. [They will take a week at the most.]

Visser Three stared at me. [What are you not telling me,] he demanded.

I fought to keep my expression calm, but in truth, I was rather alarmed that he had been able to see through my dissembling so easily. Even my parents sometimes had difficulty telling when I was lying and when I was telling the truth. [If we don't want to distort relativity too much, it'll take us about half a year using the normal engines to reach a planet where we can get the Z-space engine fixed.]

[What if we use maximum burn?]

[We'll get there within a few days, but years – possibly even a decade – would have passed for everybody else,] I said bluntly.

Visser Three's eyes narrowed. [How do I know that you're telling me the truth?]

I heaved a mental sigh. It was obvious that Visser Three was not a scientist, and frankly, neither was I. However, I was of the generation of Andalite cadets who were equally trained in the sciences, arts as well as military combat. For the first time, I was grateful for my training. If it hadn't been for my training, then we would have no hope of getting off this planet. A small voice in my head reminded me that if it hadn't been for the training then we might not have been in this mess in the first place, but I quashed it. [Would you like me to explain the math to you?]

If it hadn't been such a dangerous situation and if I had been with a friend, I would have laughed at the expression of distaste that crossed Visser Three's face. [Why don't we fix the Z-space engines then?]

I hesitated a bit too long.

[I see,] Visser Three said, his tone sneering. [Elfangor, the mighty Andalite warrior can't fix the Z-space engine.]

I glared at him. [I don't believe you were making much progress before I came along,] I snapped.

Visser Three's entire stance changed and I could see him lifting his tail blade, as if readying for battle. [For all I know, it's your fault that we're on this planet in the first place.]

I tensed. Visser Three didn't know how right he was with that statement, but I didn't want to be the one to inform him. [Remember,] I said softly, [Alloran has seen me tail fight before.]

[Are you threatening me?] Visser Three sounded disbelieving.

[I'm telling you a fact,] I retorted. In fact, I wasn't quite sure that I was still as apt as I once was at tail fighting. After all those years on earth, my first instinct wasn't to swipe my tail but to bunch up my fists. Except, right now, I had weak Andalite arms instead of strong human ones. I could feel my hearts tighten. I missed Loren, especially at times like this. Last time we were on a planet like this, she had swung herself onto my body and I had felt her thighs clenching my back as I ran. Now, however, I was facing Visser Three alone.

To my surprise, Visser Three lowered his tail blade. [We have work to do,] he said flatly. [I, for one, do not wish to spend any more time in your company than necessary.]

I pointed to where the hull of the Yeerk fighter was torn open. [We need to fix that up. It needs to be air-tight or we'll both implode when we're up there and believe me, that won't be pretty.]

Visser Three regarded me with a curious expression. [Why would it be pretty?]

[I said it wouldn't be...] I trailed off. [Never mind.] I had realised long ago that human speech patterns were strange things that were impossible to translate even with Andalite thought speak. I had no idea why humans went around disguising the true intention of their words, but it was rather fun. Loren and I had spent years coming up with our own human idioms and then testing them out on other humans. Some of them had even ended up being popular for a while in our circle of friends.

[We will both fix the Z-space engines together,] Visser Three said. [I know the origins of most of the parts. There is little reason to fix the hull of the fighter if the engines don't work.]

I had to admit that he was right. With my basic knowledge of Andalite engines and his knowledge of where the other parts came from, we might just have a smidgen of a chance of getting the Yeerk fighter back in the air. Of course, when it came down to it, I had no idea how to even start going about fixing the Z-space engines. It had been in next year's syllabus when I had started on this crazy adventure. But still, I figured it couldn't be that difficult. [Fine,] I told him.

[Very well. Begin immediately.]

I shook my head. [No.]

He stared at me.

[I haven't eaten anything for hours,] I said. [We're likely to make more mistakes if we work when we're tired and hungry.]

Visser Three seemed to be considering my words. [Doubtless you also have Andalite rituals to perform,] he said in a sneering tone. [Fine, I shall meet you back here shortly.] With that, I watched as he turned around and walked off.

Slowly, I began walking in the opposite direction.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 6**

Visser Three had been right. Although I was hungry, a part of me needed to perform the Andalite rituals before I ate. I had already decided that I was going to have a particularly tasty patch of Earth grass as well as a small thyme lawn I had discovered the day before.

As I was about to begin the ritual, I thought of Loren.

I missed Loren intensely. I had adapted my morning, evening and meal rituals to account for her and the baby. At night, I could look up in the stars and imagine that out there, somewhere, she was also looking out at the night sky, looking for me. I knew that I was being ridiculous. The Ellimist said that she wouldn't remember me, that my child would be brought up as the child of another. This was less comforting than it should have been. While I was glad that Loren wasn't feeling a mirror of my pain, I still wished that she could have remembered me.

As always, I wondered if this made me selfish that I would want to keep Loren's love even if it caused her pain.

With a mental sigh, I bowed my head and began to chant the ritual.

-***-

[Do you miss her?] Visser Three said suddenly.

I looked up from where I was attempting to unscrew a particularly stubborn screw from its resting place inside the Z-space engine. [What?] I said incredulously.

[That human girl,] Visser Three said, sounding irritated.

I couldn't believe he was asking me about Loren. This was beginning to feel like a dream. I looked down at my arm and decided to pinch myself. Indeed, I had absorbed far too many human traits. [I don't want to talk about it.]

Visser Three turned back to his work. [I just thought,] he said after a few seconds, [that we could make conversation.]

[I would rather not,] I said stiffly. [Perhaps if you feel that you need conversation, you could try speaking to Alloran.]

To my surprise Visser Three laughed the way Andalites laugh, with a crinkling of the eyes. [You are a much better conversationalist, Elfangor.]

I wasn't sure whether I ought to be offended or flattered. [I miss Loren,] I admitted and looked around at the eclectic blend of Andalite, Yeerk and human worlds. [I wonder if there would be more human in the surroundings if she were here.]

[Was she your mate?]

[We were married, yes.] I felt distinctly uncomfortable discussing my love life with Visser Three. [Do you have anybody?] I asked hesitantly. [Back on the Yeerk home world? A mate?]

Visser Three snorted. [Do you know how Yeerks mate?]

I had to admit that Yeerk mating practices had never crossed my mind. I knew that in their native form, they were nothing but little slimy slugs. Now that Visser Three had mentioned it, I was intensely curious. We had nothing like slugs on the Andalite home world. On Earth, I knew there were a surprisingly huge number of slugs, however, I had never wanted to study their mating practices. [No,] I said.

[If you did, then you would not ask,] Visser Three told me.

It was apparent that he was not going to inform me about Yeerk mating practices. I didn't want to ask, but I vowed to myself that when I left this planet, I would look them up. [What about ...] I gestured down at his body. I had heard of the host bodies of other Yeerks being used to create offspring that were then used for further Yeerk slavery. The very thought sickened me.

Visser Three stared at me. [I am in an Andalite body,] he told me. [Would _you_ want to mate with me?]

Well, I had to admit, when he put it that way, it was obvious what the answer was. I couldn't see Visser Three mating with any of the other Yeerk host bodies and thankfully – for us – there were no other Andalite controllers out there.

After that uncomfortable conversation, we lapsed again into silence.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 7**

After a week of working together on the Yeerk fighter, I realised that most of the time, I no longer regarded Visser Three as an enemy. This thought alarmed me. It wasn't as though I thought of him as a friend, but he had become almost an ally. We had both established a rather strong dislike of the Ellimist who had placed us in this circumstance.

[Meddling bastard,] I said as I slotted a piece back into the engine.

Visser Three handed me the next piece. Or at least, we both thought it was the next piece. Work on the fighter hadn't gone as well as we had hoped because it was a bit of a trial and error process. [He's rather like you Andalites.]

I narrowed my eyes. While that established that Visser Three hated the Ellimist as much as I did, I didn't appreciate the slur on my species. [What do you mean?]

[The Ellimist is arrogant, just like you Andalites,] Visser Three said calmly. [It is obvious he engineered this situation.]

I couldn't help but give an inward wry smile. He didn't know how right he was. [We aren't arrogant,] I snapped.

Visser Three stopped working and turned to me. [I've studied your culture. I studied your beliefs, your history, your bodies, and your natural flight instinct. I've studied everything about you Andalites and all while I was in a tiny shipboard pool under a portable Kandrona. I studied all of this while being in my natural Yeerk body.] He fixed all four eyes at me and I resisted the urge to cringe under the force of his glare. [Not every species out there in the galaxy has the luck of being grass eating herbivores with arms, legs, eyes and ears. Do you even know how lucky you are?]

I had no idea how to answer him. Of course, I knew that the Yeerks in their natural state were vulnerable. I could have squashed a Yeerk under a hoof without even breaking a sweat. But I never gave it much thought. I never _wanted_ to give it much thought. As one of my human friends at university had said, it would have humanised the Yeerks too much. Of course, he had been talking about one of the evil groups in human history, but the basic principle was the same. I didn't want to think that the Yeerks had a good reason to take host bodies.

[What, the mighty Andalite is silent?] Visser Three mocked.

I narrowed my main eyes at him. [You are nothing but a slug,] I said tightly. [You take over the bodies of sentient life forms. There is nothing worse than that.]

[Be careful,] Visser Three said suddenly.

[What?]

Visser Three pointed at what my hands and what I was about to do. I looked down and yanked my hands back. I was just about to connect a blue wire with a green wire. If I remembered my basic training, that would have created a minor explosion. It would have been nothing catastrophic, but I would have certainly been out of commission for a few days. I didn't think that Visser Three would have tended over my burns, if that had happened. [Thanks,] I said grudgingly.

[I believe we may need one of your much vaulted breaks.]

If I didn't know better, I would have thought that Visser Three had a sense of humour.

-***-

It was while I had my hoof dipped in the water of a shallow pond that I realised something. It was what Visser Three had said. He had mentioned being on a shipboard Yeerk pool under a portable Kandrona. A _portable_ Kandrona.

That was how Yeerks survived when they were away from the Yeerk home world, which was all the time. The irony of the matter was that we had helped them build them. Without us, the Yeerks would have been stuck upon their Yeerk home world, sucking up Kandrona Rays from their sun for they couldn't survive more than a few days without them.

But right now, we were on another planet. And we had definitely been there for more than a few days. So, I reasoned that Visser Three must have a portable Kandrona Ray generator aboard that Yeerk fighter. Otherwise, Visser Three would have been dead by now.

I frowned. It was possible that every few days, Visser Three would have somehow disabled his host body and then swum in the Yeerk pool to absorb Kandrona Rays. I certainly wasn't with him all the time. I had heard of devices aboard Yeerk fighters that disabled host bodies to allow the Yeerks to absorb Kandrona rays without fear of host reprisal. It was apparently especially useful when Yeerks were alone on extended missions.

It was then that an idea began to occur to me.

The portable Kandrona couldn't have been very big. I spent most of the time around the ship itself so it was definitely not concealed around that. I wasn't sure where Visser Three had made his scoop, but I suspected that the Kandrona would be hidden there.

It was then that I decided to follow Visser Three. I needed to find the Kandrona Ray generator and destroy it. Visser Three might have been helpful to my efforts on getting off this planet, and I certainly did not want to kill him in cold blood, however, this was my chance to get Alloran back. A part of me had been wracked with guilt over the past few years over his fate. I owed it to him, I owed it to his family, to his wife and children to try.

-***-

When night had fallen, we both headed our separate ways. I walked a few metres until I was concealed by trees and there I waited and watched. Visser Three looked suspiciously around for a few seconds and then walked away.

Surreptitiously, I followed.

I wasn't surprised when Visser Three walked towards an area that seemed predominantly Yeerk. I felt uncomfortable as I walked on the squishy Yeerk ground and skirted around holes that seemed to vent unpleasant gas. I watched as he walked inside a cave.

Suppressing my natural Andalite dislike for enclosed spaces, I took a deep breath and followed.

Inside the cave was bigger than it seemed from the outside. I couldn't see Visser Three but there seemed to be twists and turns to the cave. I supposed that he was deeper inside. I didn't want to think about what would happen if Visser Three discovered that I was here.

After a few minutes, I came across a small opening in the wall. I pushed aside some overhanging weeds and my hand froze. There, inside, was a small portable Kandrona generator. It was much smaller than ones I had seen before. I suspected that it was a jerry-rigged version for small Yeerk fighters. It was, perhaps, as big as a large cake. I could feel my hearts twist as I remembered the cake Loren had baked me for my last birthday. We had decided that the day I had become human would be my birthday and every year, she had baked me a beautiful cake. The last time, it had been a mouth-watering chocolate one.

My hand was trembling as I reached inside. The Kandrona generator was surprisingly light.

I stared at it. It would be so easy to drop it on the ground and crush it beneath my hooves.

It was just then that I heard a scuffling noise behind me. I spun around, the Kandrona generator still in my hands. I could feel my hearts beating wildly in my chest.

Visser Three was standing there, all four eyes staring at me, all of them narrowed. [Just what do you think you are you doing?]

[I... I...] I stammered.

To my astonishment, Visser Three didn't look surprised. In fact, he had what seemed like a resigned expression on his face. [I was wondering what would take you so long, Elfangor.]

I lifted up the Kandrona generator. [I'm sorry,] I said.

[Typical Andalite sentimentality,] Visser Three said with a mental sneer. He took a step towards me.

Involuntarily, I took a step backwards and came into contact with the slightly damp cave wall. I could smell rainwater and plant life. [I'm going to drop it,] I said, not knowing why I was saying anything at all.

Visser Three stepped closer. [Do it then,] he said softly, his voice threatening.

I couldn't help but feel like Visser Three was the one threatening me. It was as if my life was in danger, not his. [I'm going to do it,] I said. [I will.]

I took a deep breath.

With that, I let go and watched as the Kandrona Ray generator tumbled from my fingers. It smashed into thousands of glittering pieces on the cave floor.

Visser Three's face was expressionless.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 8**

I wasn't sure why but as soon as I dropped the Kandrona Ray generator, I felt inordinately guilty. It wasn't a rational feeling, I knew that. The galaxy would be a much better place without a menace like Visser Three running around. Earth would be safer. I could feel my hearts lifting. Loren and our baby would be safe. [I hear Kandrona starvation is unpleasant,] I said, pleased to note that my voice was calm and measured. [You can still save Alloran.]

Visser Three glared at me. [You think you've won, don't you?]

I was confused. I hadn't expected Visser Three to beg. That would have been uncharacteristic of him; however, I hadn't expected him to continue to taunt me. He looked far too confident for somebody who knew that he was going to die painfully in a few days. Had I missed something? I was positive that what I had destroyed was a Kandrona generator. It looked exactly like what I had seen in my school textbooks.

[So much for our truce, Elfangor,] Visser Three said. [I can't say that I'm surprised. I never believed in your high and mighty Andalite honour act.]

I had a sinking feeling. I was beginning to feel that Visser Three had simply been testing me. After all, it was possible that he had a spare Kandrona generator somewhere. After all, I hadn't discovered any other Yeerk technology around the Kandrona generator. If Visser Three had a spare Kandrona lying around, then all he would have to do is connect it up to wherever he kept his other systems. I cursed myself mentally for not being more careful. I should have waited. It would have been, at most, a three day wait until Visser Three left his body to soak up Kandrona Rays. I could have easily smashed up the generator then and rescued Alloran at the same time.

Right now, I realised that even if Visser Three was going to die of Kandrona starvation, I hadn't necessarily saved Alloran as well. From studies that Andalite scientists had performed on Yeerks, we established that there was about a fifty-fifty chance that a Yeerk refusing the leave the host body during Kandrona starvation would end up permanently affecting the host body. There had been instances of hosts going mad before.

I very much doubted my people would welcome me back as a hero if I was the person who not only created the first Andalite controller but also made Prince Alloran crazy.

[What? You have nothing to say for yourself?] Visser Three demanded.

[Save Alloran,] I said quietly. [You can't save yourself now, but do the right thing and save him. Look in his memories. You know he has a wife and children back home. It's only right that he go back to them.]

To my surprise, Visser Three laughed silently. [You arrogant Andalite,] he said.

I frowned.

[You still don't get it, do you, Elfangor,] Visser Three said, sounding amused. [Tell me, what do you see outside?]

I narrowed my eyes. I had a feeling that Visser Three was enjoying this immensely. I was still unsure as to what he was talking about, but I suspected that he enjoyed showing me up as a fool. It made me furious.

When I didn't respond, Visser Three continued. [It is a blend of my home world, yours and that of your little human friend. It is fascinating, this planet the Ellimist has created in all his power.] His tone was mocking. [It has Yeerk pools from my planet, but devoid of Yeerks. It has forests from your home world, but with no voices. It even has strange trees that I presume come from the human home world.]

[Where are you going with this?] I demanded.

[Fool! I didn't need that Kandrona generator.]

I stared at him. [What?]

[The light that filters through this planet's atmosphere has enough Kandrona for me to survive comfortably. It even feeds me while I'm in this body. The meddling Ellimist thought of everything,] Visser Three said.

I could feel my hearts twist. Why hadn't I thought of that? I had spent days on this planet alone marvelling at the mix of Yeerk, Andalite and human surroundings. Why hadn't it even occurred to me once that in that sunlight filtering through the atmosphere and clouds, there might have been more than simply warmth? Why hadn't it occurred to me that Visser Three could have absorbed Kandrona rays from the sun? Why hadn't it occurred to me that the Ellimist, in all its power, would have a twisted sense of humour?

[You achieved nothing by destroying the Kandrona generator,] Visser Three continued.

I felt like he was rubbing it in. Natural Kandrona Rays were more powerful than the artificial Kandrona Rays created by the Kandrona generator. They could penetrate the host. The Yeerk no longer needed to be out of the host body to absorb these rays. This was worse than if he had a spare generator.

Visser Three took a step closer to me and I flinched at the expression on his face.

I tensed and readied my tail blade. I had obviously misjudged the situation horribly and I wasn't surprised if he was going to attack me. I wasn't looking forward to having a tail fight with Visser Three. I wasn't sure that I would win.

[You're safe from me, Elfangor,] Visser Three said. I had just breathed a sigh of relief when he added, [For now.]

I didn't say anything.

[You can consider this truce of ours effectively over,] Visser Three spat. [I will allow you to leave this cave safely, but beyond that, I make no promises.]

I turned around awkwardly. Keeping one stalk eye trained on Visser Three, I stumbled out of the cave. Once outside, I let go of a deep breath. The inside of that cave had been claustrophobic for more than one reason. I could barely breathe. I had no doubt that after this, my life would be in jeopardy.

I walked quickly away from the cave. I didn't want to be outside when Visser Three finally emerged.

It began to rain. I looked up and wondered whether it was the slightly sweet rain of the Andalite home world, the salty rain of Earth, or whether it would be the acidic rain of the Yeerk home world. I ran a finger over the wetness on my fur but I couldn't tell. The rain created a glistening beauty in the landscape, even in the Yeerk parts. I wanted to go around and destroy every Yeerk pool I saw, every piece of Yeerk shrubbery and everything Yeerk I could find. Perhaps then I could ensure Visser Three's demise.

But I knew it was useless.

The Ellimist had obviously meant for us both to survive and develop some form of... friendship. I snorted. It was apparent that wasn't going to happen. We had just lost the last vestiges of our tenuous truce.

-***-

For the next few days, I was on edge constantly. I presumed that Visser Three would still be spending most of his time fixing the Yeerk fighter, but still, I remembered the expression in his eyes when I left the cave. He didn't mean to leave this planet with me still alive. I knew it.

I had taken an action that went against every moral fibre in my body and it had backfired. I suspected that if I could ever meet the Elfangor who had refused to flush thousands of Yeerks out an air lock, that Elfangor would have despised me. I had tried to justify it to myself, however, it was still murder, plain and simple. I hadn't been in the midst of a battle. I hadn't been trying to defend myself.

I had simply decided to do something cold and calculating that would have led to the death of somebody who I had a truce with. It was a despicable action, even if it _had_ led to Visser Three's death. The fact it hadn't made it worse.

The heavy feeling in my hearts soured the grass underneath my hooves.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 9**

It was five days after I had left Visser Three's cave. During these five days, I had spent much of it meditating, eating, exploring, thinking of Loren as well as pondering the situation with Visser Three. It was very different to how I had spent most of my life. The last time I remembered a period of such relaxation was back when I was a child and had few encumbrances. In fact, I was so unused to the sensation that it took me nearly an hour to realise that I was bored.

Extremely bored.

I had expected Visser Three to attack me, however, he hadn't. So I was left with nothing but my own thoughts and at that very moment, my own thoughts weren't pleasant company. I had spent much of the five days wandering around, specifically avoiding areas that I knew Visser Three might frequent, but attempting to gain a topological map of the landscape in my mind. So far, I had realised that the area that the Yeerk fighter had crashed into was part of a flat forested area that stretched for several miles. Beyond that, where Visser Three seemed to have made his scoop, was a series of networked caves set deep into a cliff face.

There was a waterfall further along, about a half day's walk for me, and I marvelled at its beauty. There was nothing like that on the Andalite home world, and I doubted such magnificence could come from the Yeerk home world, so I suspected that this gigantic waterfall was purely from Earth.

There were a series of small streams flowing through the forest and I found many delicious new varieties of grasses growing on their banks.

I had wanted to explore further on foot, but invariably, I always turned back just after the day was half over. I didn't want to accidentally get lost. A part of me was always drawn back to where I had originally made my scoop, which was rather close to the downed Yeerk fighter. I reasoned to myself that I was simply keeping an eye on Visser Three's progress on fixing the ship, however, I sometimes wondered if it was more than that.

On the fourth day, I morphed a kafit bird and flew towards the horizon. I had always found flying to be beautiful and had always regretted not trying out a few Earth bird morphs before I permanently became human. Earth animals were numerous and varied compared to those on the Andalite home world. I vaguely remembered a lesson in school about a cataclysmic event in relatively recent history that had caused all but a few species on the Andalite home world to die out. It was obvious that there had been little genetic variation since.

The kafit bird was not very fast for a bird; however, it was much faster than I was in my natural body. I discovered that this planet was far bigger than I had first imagined. The Yeerk home world was tiny in comparison, and I suspected by the curve of the ground, that this planet was possibly twice the size of Earth.

I flew and saw other parts of the planet composed of deserts, oceans and giant forests. Sometimes I couldn't even tell the difference between human and Yeerk landscapes. During my time on Earth I had discovered that much of that planet had been covered in ice and completely inhospitable. There were plants that ate animals, flowers that stretched over two metres long and smelt like rotting meat as well as terrifyingly huge marine animals. Truly, Earth was a strange place. I wondered how much of it had been transposed into this bizarre world.

I wondered if Visser Three had been tempted to morph to see more of this planet. I knew that Alloran himself would only have the few morphs I had, the chadoo, the kafit bird and Taxxon. However, I was positive that Visser Three would have collected more morphs. A part of me cursed the Andalite High Council for its policy of not allowing morph-capable Andalites to collect more than the necessary number of morphs. Other than specialised spies within the Electorate, very few morph-capable warriors had more than a few morphs.

After I had explored as much of the planet as I could, I found myself in at a loss. I wasn't going to sit around and be a pawn of the Ellimist. I needed to get off this planet, however, unless a spaceport magically appeared, I was stuck. The only way off the planet seemed to be the Yeerk fighter.

I wondered why Visser Three hadn't simply chosen to morph into something to destroy me. My only conclusion was that he had more to do than to simply kill me, or that I was still of some use to him.

It was with those thoughts in mind that I went to find Visser Three.

-***-

[I can only presume that you have a death wish, Elfangor,] Visser Three commented.

I stopped, and wasn't sure what to say. From where I was standing, I could tell that he had made some progress on the Yeerk fighter, but not as much as he would have had if I had been there.

[I see that you have been struck dumb by shock at my progress,] Visser Three said. I wasn't sure whether it was my imagination or did he sound weary. [Leave now before I am forced to make you leave.]

[No,] I said finally.

Visser Three turned both stalk eyes towards me. [What?]

[No,] I said, louder. [You need my help if you are to leave this planet. If either of us are to leave. You know you do.

Visser Three laughed silently. [I concede that this would go faster with your help, however, how can I trust that you will not make another attempt at my life?]

I somehow felt that there was something odd about the situation. Visser Three was talking about trusting me? I was an Andalite and he was a Yeerk. We were supposed to be the trustworthy ones! Although, I had to admit, from our actions since we had arrived on the planet, Visser Three had shown himself to be somewhat more trustworthy. [You have my word,] I said quietly, and meant it. I had been doing a lot of thinking over the last few days and discovered that I was glad that Visser Three wasn't dead. It meant that I had not killed somebody – even an enemy – in cold blood and for that, I was grateful.

Visser Three walked towards me. I twitched my tail blade to a defensive position. [I have morphs that would terrify you,] he said softly.

[You will not morph,] I said confidently.

[Why?]

[Because you would be vulnerable mid-morph,] I told him. [Because I could kill you. Because you would never want to put yourself in that position.]

To my surprise, Visser Three laughed silently again. [You would make a good Yeerk, Elfangor.]

I worked hard to keep my face expressionless but it was obvious that Visser Three saw through it.

[Don't look so offended,] he said. [There are many kinds of Yeerks. Seerow knew that.]

[Prince Seerow was a fool,] I spat, enraged. [He released a plague upon the galaxy.] I could feel my hearts pounding.

[Yes, I believe Alloran agrees with you,] Visser Three commented. [You have an ally, even if that ally is inside my head.] He tapped the side of his head.

[You are inside Alloran's head,] I corrected, my voice shaking. [You are nothing but a pathetic, pitiful little slug.]

I could see Visser Three's hands trembling. His tail blade moved slightly and I could tell that he was expending a lot of effort in keeping it still. [I will not kill you, Elfangor,] he finally said. [You would make a perfect host for one of my subordinates, or perhaps, even my twin. I would not wish to damage such a perfect specimen.]

I narrowed my eyes. [And I will not kill you, Visser Three,] I said, proud that my voice wasn't shaking. [Because I will see you brought to justice.]


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 10**

I went back to helping Visser Three fix the Yeerk fighter; however, it was an uneasy truce. As much as it bewildered me, our truce before had been comfortable. We had definitely not been friends however, I had been beginning to think that we were allies. Now, we worked together awkwardly in silence. Visser Three only spoke to me to ask for instructions on how to fix certain components. In return, I only spoke to him to explain what he was doing wrong and to tell him what to do next.

It was not a pleasant working relationship and I found myself wishing yet again that I had not destroyed the Kandrona. Although, I had not enjoyed sniping with Visser Three, it was infinitely better than this silence.

[I'm not sure we have enough fuel,] Visser Three said abruptly. I had told him to check on the fuel levels. These ships were designed to be constantly up in the air and re-fuelled every few days. I was afraid that enough of the fuel had degraded in the time we had been here.

[Let me check.] I stood up and walked over to where Visser Three was peering at the fuel gauge.

[I believe I am able to check fuel levels accurately,] Visser Three said sharply.

I glared at him. Turning back to the fuel gauge, I noted that the ship's computer noted that fuel levels were at minimum. This meant that even if we were able to get the ship up in the air, we would run out of fuel before we managed to complete one Z-space jump. It was very bad news. I could feel my hearts sinking. We had only fixed part of the ship's computer the day before and without that, we were unable to tell whether any of the fuel had degraded.

[Your Andalite fuel is organic, isn't it?] Visser Three asked.

I was pulled abruptly from my thoughts. I stared at him. [What?]

Irritably, Visser Three said, [The fuel in this ship, it's Andalite fuel. Andalite fuel is organic, right?]

I frowned. That sounded right, but I wasn't completely sure. About fifty years ago, in response to intense public pressure, our civilian government had instigated plans to change all fuels to organic fuels, which were supposed to be better for our environment. I wasn't sure if this particular ship was fitted out with an organic fuel creator. It had not proven especially popular with our military. It was far easier to carry around extra conventional fuel than it was to mulch up enough Andalite plants or other organic materials to power up a spaceship. Plus, the organic fuel creator, despite being more environmentally friendly, was a disaster when it came to military missions. No military vessel could spare one staff member per ship to continually feed fuel into the creator in order to keep the engines running.

[Couldn't we find enough organic matter to power the ship? Alloran seems to believe that it is possible, as much as he hates to admit it to me,] Visser Three said impatiently.

[I suppose,] I conceded. [We need specific plants though and I haven't seen any around here.] It had been established that one type of plant in particular was especially good at converting into fuel. The science behind it was beyond me, however, the creators of this particular device had assured the Electorate that it would be a clean source of power, much better than the factories that had previously been used to generate dark matter which was used as fuel for our ships. Moreover, it would rid our planet of a very irritating plant that nobody liked, not even the most insane of our botanists.

Visser Three was looking in the wreckage of the ship. [There is an organic fuel creator in here. It's old but it looks relatively intact. It should be possible to create enough energy to power the ship.]

[I suppose,] I said. [Unless you have any Andalite toys lying around anywhere. I could use the fusion and fission generators in them to power the ship.]

Visser Three laughed silently. [I do not.]

[Too bad,] I said dryly.

[Do we need a specific plant?] Visser Three asked. [Alloran believes that any plant would be able to power the ship.]

[That is technically true,] I said, praying that my memories regarding this were accurate. I wasn't completely sure about that. I didn't think I was listening very well that day at school. [However, we need to carry enough organic matter to feed constantly into the organic fuel creator. There won't be enough room on the ship if we do not get the Neflit plant.]

[Very well.]

I thought we should be able to find the plant. It would be dangerous, because the Neflit plant had some peculiar qualities that had given me nightmares as a child; however, I had seen enough Andalite landscape on this planet to give me hope that they would be growing somewhere. [We need to fix the rest of the ship first,] I said.

Visser Three stared at me for a second and then turned back to work.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 11**

It took us another two weeks before it became readily apparent that we couldn't test any of the critical functions on the Yeerk fighter without more fuel. The fuel that was on the ship had already atrophied to the extent that it was virtually unusable. I concluded that if we continued to run it through the engine, then it was likely that we could damage vital parts of the engine.

[We can find the Neflit plant on higher terrain,] I told Visser Three. From our previous conversations, I had established that Visser Three knew very little about the way the organic fuel worked. Visser Three told me that Alloran knew even less than he did. It was apparent that although Prince Alloran was one of the best fighter pilots around back when he was still himself, he was less than competent at determining the inner workings of the engines. [Much higher than our current altitude.]

[There are cliffs above my cave,] Visser Three said.

[I believe those are Earth cliffs,] I said cautiously. [Andalite terrain is slightly different. I thought an Andalite expert such as yourself would know that.]

Visser Three narrowed his eyes. [Alloran was not required to be a geologist,] he said sharply, [and neither was I.]

I snorted, but I knew I was being somewhat unfair. There was a good reason why I knew the Neflit plant and that was because of an unfortunate childhood encounter. Back then, my family's scoop was next to mountainous terrain and I was prone to explore the surroundings. My parents had warned me as to the dangers of some of the plants that existed in less habited parts of the Andalite home world, but as an adventurous youngster, I didn't listen.

They had provided me with a beautifully illustrated book about Andalite plants and animals. Although we had no natural predators, they told me, there were some plants and animals that were still dangerous. There were some rodents with a poisonous bite. Although the bite would not hurt adult Andalites, who could sleep off the poisons, however, for young Andalites, it could be dangerous. There were also some flowers that spat out acidic liquid. I had barely flipped through the book before I decided to go exploring on my own.

I was exploring a particularly dense part of bushland when suddenly – or so it seemed – an innocuous looking plant appeared in front of me. It had thin tendrils spreading out of its base and several small red flowers that resembled the ones my mother enjoyed to see decorating the inside of our scoop. I was going to pick some for her. I thought that she might enjoy them since she loved botany, however, at that moment, the tendrils of the plant reached out and curled around my fingers.

I remember staring at it in surprise.

I didn't move. I didn't think it was dangerous. It was a small innocent looking plant with pretty, sweet-smelling flowers. The tendrils felt soft around my fingers.

It seemed to me that the flowers reached up to me. It was right about then that I became slightly alarmed. I remember trying to yank my hand away from the tendrils but they seemed to be stuck on my fingers, almost as though somebody had glued them there. There was a peculiar prickling feeling in my fingers.

And then it happened.

If I hadn't spent hours and hours afterwards researching the peculiar properties of this plant, I would have thought that the following memory was coloured by childhood. I knew that children tended to exaggerate things. However, from my research, I established that – if anything – I had blocked out some of the more terrifying aspects. Either that, or it was a juvenile Neflit plant. I suspect I might not have survived if it had been a fully grown one.

The flowers reached up to me, and then, bizarrely, they spread their petals like jaws. On Earth, Loren had told me of some peculiar Earth animals called snakes. Some of these snakes had extendable jaws that enabled them to swallow prey that was much bigger than them. I had seen blurry human videos of snakes eating animals that were more than five times their size.

The flower opened its petals like that of a snake's jaw extending out to swallow prey. Except, I was the prey.

I remember being terrified. It was like something out of a nightmare. I remember cursing the fact I hadn't read the book my parents gave me properly. I briefly remembered something about carnivorous plants, however, I hadn't been paying much attention.

Rows and rows of sharp teeth appeared to line the petals. When I tried to tell this part to Loren, she simply stared at me, with a hint of a laugh. I knew it sounded ridiculous, but it was terrifying to see a pretty innocent-looking flower trying to eat me.

I was still a rather young Andalite, but I remember digging my hooves into the ground and yanking my arm back as far as I could. Other tendrils reached up for me but I avoided them. I heaved upwards with all of my might, using my other arm for leverage.

Just as I thought that I couldn't exert any more force, I heard the plant being pulled out from the ground with a squelching sound. Almost immediately, the tendrils lost their grip on my arm and I was unable to uncurl them. The roots of the plant were swollen, almost engorged and I thought I could see remnants of bones in them. I threw the plant as far as I could away from me and ran back to the scoop.

I believe I received one of my biggest childhood punishments for that event. With hindsight, I knew that my parents were simply scared. The Neflit plant was named after the Andalite who discovered it, who ended up being eaten – slowly, over the course of several weeks – by the plant he had discovered. Apparently, the flowers on the Neflit plant reach up and surround their victims using their razor sharp petals. Then once they've completely enclosed their victim, they slowly digest the victim over the course of weeks. It is said that victims stay alive for several days in increasingly excruciating pain as the digestive juices of the Neflit plant are rather weak.

I was jerked abruptly back to the present with an impatient look from Visser Three.

[We need to trust each other, if we are to survive,] I said quietly. My childhood memory still haunted me to this day and I had no wish to be eaten by the Neflit plant. I would rather live out the rest of my days on this plant with nobody except Visser Three for company.

Visser Three looked at me with an expression of puzzlement as if I was a small piece of excrement that he had stepped in by accident. [We are looking for a plant,] he said impatiently. [It's not as though we are going to be fighting a dozen Hork-Bajir.]

I thought that I might prefer to fight a dozen Hork-Bajir. I had explained to Visser Three previously the dangers of the plant, but he hadn't looked like he believed me. I suspected that he thought I was exaggerating. I had to admit that it wasn't a well known Andalite plant. In fact, most Andalites were not aware of it.

Yet, the Neflit plant was one of the best sources of power for the organic fuel creators. I remember reading that it was something about the energy created by the plant; however, I wasn't completely positive. I believe the authors of the paper had posited that putting a sentient plant or animal in there would power the organic fuel creators more, however, that wasn't an option that people wanted to try. The Neflit plant was apparently the next best option.

[Most Andalites make their scoops on the grasslands of our planet for a good reason,] I said. I hesitated before adding, [Look through Alloran's memories. Most Andalites haven't been up to the higher terrain of our planet.]

There was a brief pause. Visser Three had a look of intense concentration on his face and I knew he was rifling through Alloran's memories. I had a feeling of disquiet, almost as if I had sanctioned this latest intrusion into Alloran's thoughts. I suspected Visser Three would have looked even if I hadn't mentioned it though. [That is true,] Visser Three said finally.

[Not only that,] I continued. [Earth is also a dangerous place and I doubt your home world is that safe either. We don't know what the environment is like on other parts of this planet. Where we currently are is hospitable enough, but we don't know if that'll continue for other places.]

Visser Three shot me an irritable look. [You have told me many times that this plant is dangerous. However, we need it. It isn't as though we have a stockpile of weapons that we can retrieve. My only Dracon beam was damaged in the crash. We will defeat this plant with our tail blades, or die trying.]

I suspected there was a healthy dose of sarcasm in Visser Three's tone. I ignored it. [We will leave tomorrow morning,] I said, looking up at the sky. The suns were setting in a rainbow sky.

[Very well,] Visser Three said.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 12**

I awoke in the morning with a queasy feeling. I was not looking forward to seeing the Neflit plant again. After my childhood encounter, I had nightmares for months about the plant swallowing me alive. Even now, flowers of all kinds reminded me of the Neflit plant. On Earth, I had avoided any flower that reminded me of that incident, so much so that Loren was rather annoyed that she never seemed to get any flowers for special occasions.

When I got to the Yeerk fighter, Visser Three was already waiting for me. [I suggest that we morph in order to get there,] he informed me as I neared. [We will have immense difficulty getting there in these bodies.]

I had to agree. I berated myself for not thinking of it sooner. There was no way we could get there easily in Andalite form. We could cover a reasonable distance while there were flat fields; however, once we got to more uneven surfaces, it would be very difficult to make good time. I had one problem with the plan though. I suspected Visser Three had far stronger and more powerful bird morphs compared to me. [What morph would you suggest?]

Visser Three had a very satisfied expression on his face. [I have a particularly excellent morph for this mission. I acquired the animal from the Skrit Na, who apparently bought it from raiders who had gone to the edges of this galaxy and beyond.]

I didn't like the sound of that. [We could both morph kafit birds,] I suggested. I was positive that Alloran would have the DNA of that particular bird in his system.

[That's ridiculous,] Visser Three said flatly. [That bird is slow and with dubious eyesight. The kafit bird's eyesight is barely better than that of my Andalite body. My morph, on the other hand, has exceptional eyesight and reflexes.]

I was liking the sound of it less and less. [It makes sense that we should morph the same animal though,] I argued. [That way we will be flying at the same pace.]

Visser Three raised an eyebrow. [My morph can keep pace with yours. Do not worry. My morph is unlikely to eat yours. It prefers a diet of fish.]

[That's good,] I said dubiously. It was times like this that I wished it was possible to absorb DNA from a morphed animal. That way, I could take the DNA from Visser Three's morph and he wouldn't have an advantage over me any longer. However, it was impossible. There was something about the morphing process that ensured that any DNA absorbed from a morphed animal would be warped. It was likely to cause an allergic reaction in the person morphing, not to mention, at times, it ended up in a mutated animal. I had explained the entire process to Loren once who had frowned and then brightened. She had likened it to a human photocopier and the way if you photocopied a copy, it became more and more atrophied.

Visser Three was looking at me impatiently. [Shall we depart?]

[Fine,] I said curtly. [We should go south-west. I believe I saw more Andalite terrain over there.]

I watched as Visser Three began morphing. The sight always made me slightly squeamish, more so when I didn't know what he was morphing into. Taking a deep breath, I closed all my eyes except a single stalk eye and focused inwardly on the image of the kafit bird. I could feel all my internal bones and organs shifting as my bones hollowed. My legs slowly dwindled and disappeared and my hooves were replaced by sharp little claws. I teetered forward awkwardly until I felt my arms shifting into wings and I flapped them to keep my balance.

I could see Visser Three's body twisting and contorting shape until he resembled more of a bird than an Andalite. I could see that his bird form was much bigger than that of my kafit bird. Much, much bigger.

If the kafit bird was the size of an Earth pigeon, Visser Three's morph was more like the size of an emu. Except, it had a wickedly curved beak and very sharp claws.

With a squelching sound, I felt the last of my internal organs settle into place. I was fully a kafit bird. I missed having my stalk eyes. Somehow, without them, I felt as though enemies could attack at me without me noticing.

Visser Three glared at me through angry-looking amber eyes. [I take it that you like this morph,] he said silkily. [I don't yet have a name for this wonderful creature, but I know it is very efficient in tracking all number of _prey_.]

There was an emphasis on the word prey that I didn't like. Next to Visser Three's morph, I felt like prey. [It's lovely,] I told him. [Very friendly looking bird.]

Visser Three snorted and stretched his wings out. The wingspan of that bird was magnificent. [Shall we depart?]

[Yes.] I flapped my own wings and launched myself into the air towards a south-westerly direction. Behind me, I could hear Visser Three flapping until he caught a wind current. He then soared in front of me. The sight of Visser Three's morph took my breath away. It was a beautiful bird and I suspected from its beak and claws, quite deadly. I wondered what planet it came from.

Visser Three began to glide slowly in the direction I had pointed out before. I flapped my wings to keep up with him. I had to admit that he was keeping pace with my flight quite well. I didn't think it was easy to be able to fly that slowly. [The planet is interesting from up here,] Visser Three commented suddenly.

I looked down. I could see what he meant. Everything melded together down on the ground and I could no longer tell what was human, Yeerk or Andalite terrain. It was oddly like the image the Ellimist had originally shown me of this planet. [It is very interesting,] I agreed.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 13**

We flew until we came close to the time limit. Despite the relative slowness of my morph, a bewildering array of different terrains flashed by below us. In the distance, I saw something that seemed similar to Andalite mountains and cliffs. We decided that we would make our way towards it after demorphing and resting for a while.

[The grass here tastes different,] Visser Three remarked.

I stuck a hoof into the grass. [Yes,] I said. [It does.] It suddenly struck me how bizarre our conversations were at times. Here we were, sworn enemies who had come to a temporary truce, and we were commenting on the palatability of grass.

[I believe this grass is not Andalite.]

I turned one stalk eye towards the ground and examined the blades carefully. [You're right. It isn't Andalite. I believe it may come from another part of Earth. Perhaps the part humans call the tropics.] I wasn't completely knowledgeable on Earth geography but I thought I knew enough to impress Visser Three. I then wondered why I wanted to impress Visser Three to begin with. Perhaps there was something to be said for going crazy when you had nobody but a rival about.

[That's interesting,] Visser Three said blandly.

I watched as he continued eating. It seemed that he enjoyed the grasses here. I didn't find them as palatable though.

It was almost an hour before we had both fed and watered ourselves enough to continue on our journey. I didn't watch as Visser Three morphed into his rather scary looking bird. I tried not to look down as I was morphing either. I always found the morphing process slightly strange looking. I didn't like looking at my arms and legs changing.

We both launched ourselves into the air once more and began to fly in the direction of the mountains.

-***-

Several hours later, we both stood in Andalite form at the base of one of the mountains. To both our eyes, it seemed to be made up of mostly Andalite vegetation with a few Earth and Yeerk plants scattered around. There was something like a small pathway that seemed to wind its way up the mountain.

[I suppose we should follow that,] I said, pointing.

Visser Three had an expression of distaste on his face. [Andalite bodies aren't made for climbing up mountains. I have much better morphs for this job.]

[We're both going up in Andalite bodies,] I said firmly. I held my breath. I wasn't sure if Visser Three was going to listen to me or not. [We are both more familiar with these bodies.]

Visser Three stared at me for a moment. [I suppose,] he said grudgingly. [I do prefer this Andalite tail.] He twitched his tail and began walking up the path.

After waiting for a few moments, I followed him. There was something distinctly uncomfortable about walking up a narrow mountainous path behind an Andalite. Visser Three's tail waved in front of me and I had the impression that all he had to do was move it slightly to slice off an important appendage of mine. Of course, I knew that he couldn't move his tail backwards, but it didn't stop my nervousness. I briefly considered asking Visser Three to walk behind me, but I decided that I wouldn't feel comfortable with that wither.

We walked in silence for almost an hour before Visser Three stopped abruptly.

[What's wrong?] I asked tensely. I had become increasingly nervous over the past few minutes as we passed into Andalite terrain. I felt as though Andalite-eating flowers could jump out of the bushes and trees at any point. I knew my fears were illogical because the range of the Neflit plant was not that large. Unless I stepped very close to it, I should be fine.

Visser Three turned around awkwardly. His nostrils were flared. [I can smell something.]

I sniffed the air. Visser Three was right. There was a distinct odour in the air. It took me a minute to get it as I was unfamiliar with the smell whilst in my Andalite bodies. We Andalites are herbivores, however, humans, on the other hand, tend to eat speared chunks of raw meat cooked over fire. The smell was that of rotting meat. It was disgusting. [This cannot be the Neflit plant.]

[No, most likely not,] Visser Three said. [You didn't mention anything about terrible smells.]

I glared at him. [It could be dangerous though,] I said. [We should have a look to determine whether it is or not.]

Visser Three nodded.

It was with trepidation that we both walked in the direction of the terrible rotting meat smell. After about twenty paces, we walked behind a tree to discover a rather bizarre sight. In front of us, was a flower that was bigger than both of us. It was almost twice the size of Alloran's body, including the stalk eyes. There was a white almost stalk-like centre to it that rose high up into the sky and large white and red petals that surrounded it. There was a green stem down the bottom but a shallow stem, unlike the long stems of most flowers.

[What is that?] Visser Three finally said.

[I have no idea,] I said. [I know nothing like that exists on the Andalite home world.]

Visser Three nodded. [Alloran agrees. And it is definitely not from the Yeerk home world.]

I stared at the flower and tried hard not to hold my nose at the smell. [I presume it must come from Earth then,] I ventured. The flower repulsed me. I didn't want to call it a flower, but there nothing else I could call it. It was distinctly flower-shaped despite being nothing like the sweet smelling flowers that Loren used to love.

[Earth has flowers like that?] Visser Three said, sounding incredulous. [These humans must have no sense of smell.]

[Their sense of smell is excellent,] I snapped. [These flowers must hide in remote parts of earth.]

[If you say so,] Visser Three said, sounding doubtful. [It is obvious that this is not what we are looking for. We must continue, if we are to find a Neflit plant, trap and contain it.]

I nodded and together we turned from rotting smell and walked away.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 14**

We walked for what seemed like hours but the Neflit plant proved quite elusive to find. I did come across many varieties of other Andalite plants that I remembered from my childhood spent roaming in the hills as well as a couple of Earth plants that Loren and I had in our garden.

We ended up walking side by side along a fairly broad, somewhat stony path. It was a pretty view made up of mostly Earth and Andalite plants, however, there were a few Yeerk ones thrown in. Visser Three made a particular note of commenting on those whenever we passed them. I wondered how he managed to remember those plants given that he had merely been a slug when the Yeerks had left their home world, but I supposed that he had learned them from accessing Andalite terminals. Seerow's wife had been particularly voracious at collecting and cataloguing Yeerk plants.

I was despairing of ever finding the Neflit plant and getting off this planet when Visser Three suddenly made a sound. He grasped my arm and I looked at his hand in surprise. It wasn't a hostile gesture, far from it, actually. It was one of those gestures I used to make whenever I wanted to alert Loren of something exciting, usually a new flavour in food. I also did it as a child with my friends. As I looked at Visser Three's thin fingers wrapped around my forearm, I could feel a strange feeling inside my chest. I ignored it as I shook my arm slightly.

Visser Three stepped backwards very slightly. If I didn't know better, I would have thought it was a look of fear on his face. As I did know better, I very much doubted that Yeerks could feel that emotion.

[What?] I demanded. [Do you see it?]

[Yes,] Visser Three said.

[Where is it? Point it out to me, but don't make any sudden movements,] I whispered, feeling my hearts beat faster.

[Why are you whispering?] Visser Three asked irritably. [It won't hear our thought speak, will it?]

[No,] I said slowly, but I wasn't entirely sure on that fact. There were some plants on the Andalite home world that could hear thought speak, but I doubted this was one of them. That would have been incredibly bad luck for us.

[It's over there,] Visser Three said, pointing at a patch towards my left.

Slowly, I turned my head and looked down. There it was. The Neflit plant. I hadn't seen one in person since I was very young and had almost been eaten by its flowers. It still looked deceptively pretty and innocent. I suspected that evolution had ensured that it grew that way in order to attract the maximum number of prey. As I examined it closely, I realised that this was an adult plant, which meant that we only needed a few of them in order to power the ship.

That's a good thing, I thought faintly. I didn't think I really wanted to go hunting more than a few of these plants.

[What should we do?] Visser Three said harshly.

I only then noticed that he too had frozen in the position he had originally been in when he had grabbed my arm. It seemed that despite all his taunts, he had taken my warnings seriously. It was quite well that he had, because from what I remembered, the Neflit plant tended to attack moving objects. It seemed to somehow sense movement in its environment.

Right now, from what I could see, its tendrils were waving harmlessly in the breeze. At least, that was what I hoped they were doing.

[From what I remember, we need to dig it out. Once its roots are exposed to the air around us, it will be frozen.]

Visser Three slowly moved one of his stalk eyes to stare at me. [How do we propose that we do that?]

That was a very good question. I wasn't sure I knew the answer. In my hurry to fix the Yeerk fighter and to get off this planet, I hadn't planned things as well as I normally would have. Although, I had to admit, I rarely planned in any case. [I believe we need bait,] I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt.

[So why didn't we bring bait?] Visser Three asked, in an exasperated tone.

[Because,] I snapped, [we can catch it here.]

[How would we do that when we can't move?] Visser Three ground out.

[We should be able to outrun it if we move quickly,] I said hesitantly. [If we both move together, in opposite directions, quickly, it should be confused and not be able to catch either one of us. One of us can then circle and join with the other.]

[Very well,] Visser Three said. I couldn't tell from his face whether he thought it was a great or stupid plan. [Shall we begin the running then?]

[On three,] I said, tensing my muscles. [You go uphill, I go downhill. One. Two. THREE!]

On three, I began running as fast as I could down the hill away from the Neflit plant. Behind me, I could hear Visser Three doing the same but in the opposite direction. I could hear the tendrils of the plant whipping towards me and I thought I could feel them on my hooves at one point but I kept on running.

After about a minute, I stopped running. The range of the Neflit plant was not that great. It was unlikely it could have caught me after about ten seconds of running, but I wanted to make sure.

[Elfangor,] Visser Three's thought speak came through to me loud and clear, [I presume you are not dead?]

[I'm alive,] I said quickly. [I'm in the clearing we passed before. I believe you should come down here and then we shall set a trap.]

There was silence. I waited. I was beginning to think Visser Three had decided to continue on his own or had been ensnared by another Neflit plant, although it was rare to have two in close proximity, when he arrived.

[We need to catch something to use as bait,] I told him.

He stared at me with mild amusement. [Why so eager? I thought you Andalites pretended to abhor killing living creatures. Apart from us Yeerks, of course.]

I took a deep breath. This was true and it wasn't a pretence, no matter what Visser Three thought. However, I had lived as a human for several years. Humans were exceptionally good at killing and eating creatures. Even the small fluffy, relatively cute ones. [We will if we must,] I said shortly.

Visser Three laughed.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 15**

Catching bait proved to be more difficult than it had first sounded. According to Visser Three, there were no appropriately sized animals on the Yeerk home world that would be easily taken care of using our available weapons. I wasn't sure that I believed him, but I didn't seem to have any other options. We finally decided to settle upon catching a type of Earth. Visser Three had claimed to have seen something small, furry with floppy ears hopping away at one point while we had been walking up the mountain. After a few questions, I had deduced that he had seen a rabbit.

[These should be fairly easy to catch,] I said confidently. [I have seen Earth television shows where they can be caught using carrots.]

Visser Three stared at me. [What are these _carrots_?] He said the word with distaste.

[They are a type of Earth vegetable. They're orange, cylindrical and pointy at one end,] I explained.

[Do we have any of these carrots?]

[No,] I said, stumped. From those cartoons I had seen while I was human, I had deduced that it would be fairly easy to trap a rabbit. All one needed to do was wave a carrot around and within minutes, a rabbit would appear, bounding out of the bushes.

[Then how would propose we go about catching these rabbits,] Visser Three said with irritation. His eyes suddenly brightened. [I have a perfect morph.]

[No,] I said flatly. I suspected that any morph Visser Three thought was perfect would more likely eat the rabbit than help catch it. Or at least, the rabbit would end up in rather bad shape. [We want the rabbit alive and uninjured. I was thinking that I could hit it with the flat of my tail blade.]

[You could do that,] Visser Three agreed, [if we ever come across one of these rabbits again.]

I fell silent. I had to admit that this was the downside of my plan. The Andalite sense of smell was barely better than that of a human's. I could smell adequately, however, from what I had read up on other Andalite animals, they had a far more acute sense of smell. In fact, from what I knew of some Earth animals, members of the canine family could probably sniff the ground and be able to tell if there were any rabbits in the vicinity.

Unfortunately, I did not have a dog morph. I turned to Visser Three. [Do any of your morphs have a good sense of smell?] I asked.

Instead of looking smug, like I had expected, Visser Three looked slightly alarmed. [Why do you ask?] He sounded suspicious.

[If you have such a morph, I would like you to utilise it in order to detect whether there are any rabbits close by,] I explained slowly, trying to hold in my annoyance.

[What happened to your plan of stunning them with our tail blades?]

[After you have discovered where the rabbit is, then we will creep upon it quietly and stun it by hitting it with the side of one of our tail blades.] I suppressed an exasperated noise. I had no idea why Visser Three was not being helpful. I thought this was a fairly good plan. Or at least, it was a plan that would leave us with a live enough, non-bleeding rabbit that might serve as enticing prey for the Neflit plant. Andalite scientists had realised that the Neflit plant enjoyed eating live prey and seemed to tremble with delight whenever the prey struggled. I hoped that an unconscious rabbit would prove adequate. The rabbit would likely wake up when the Neflit plant began to digest it anyway. I swallowed and quashed some of the qualms I had about sacrificing an innocent creature to this plant.

Visser Three narrowed his main eyes.

[We then put the rabbit close enough to the Neflit plant and hope that while it is occupied with digesting the rabbit, we can go around the other side and dig it up with sticks,] I added quickly, wondering if Visser Three got the full extent of my plan.

[This is a bad plan,] Visser Three said flatly. [I have powerful morphs that could easily catch prey for you.]

I really didn't want Visser Three morphing into some powerful and alien creature. I did not want to be accidentally eaten by Visser Three in morph. [This is safer,] I insisted.

[I do not see how,] Visser Three snapped.

[If this doesn't work, then we'll try it your way,] I said. Surreptitiously, I crossed several of my fingers of my left hand behind my back. That particular human custom had initially struck me as rather silly, however, it had stuck with me.

Visser Three stared at me for a few seconds. [Fine,] he finally said grudgingly.

I took a step back as Visser Three began to morph.

-***-

When Visser Three had finished morphing, I stared. I tried my best not to laugh and stared some more. [That is your morph?] I asked, keeping my voice steady.

[This morph has an excellent sense of smell,] Visser Three said grumpily.

I had no doubt that was the case. However, the morph also happened to be small and exceedingly cute. It had little fluffy ears, a long winding tail and a pointy nose. It sort of reminded me of a cat or a squirrel. I had once asked Loren whether we could have a squirrel for a pet, but she had vetoed that notion. [If you say so,] I said.

Visser Three sat up on his hind legs and pointed a little furry paw towards my left. [There is a rabbit in that direction. About a minute's walk. It is currently nibbling at a plant and is likely distracted.]

I stared at him.

[This morph also has excellent hearing,] Visser Three said smugly.

I suppressed the urge to tell him that his current morph would be just as adequate as a rabbit as bait. Somehow, I suspected that Visser Three would not have much of a sense of humour on that note.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 16**

It took us two tries, but eventually, we managed to knock a rabbit unconscious. On the first try, I had accidentally stepped on a stick and alerted the rabbit who had shot away into the bushes as if its tail were on fire. The second time, however, was very successful.

I looked down at the small, furry, unconscious bundle in my arms. It looked quite small and pathetic lying there and for a brief second, I felt immensely sorry for it. Before we had come across it, it had been a happy little rabbit nibbling on leaves, bounding around with its little rabbit friends. And then we came along, needing to get off this strange world and now the rabbit was going to be sacrificed to the Neflit plant.

[Getting sentimental, Elfangor?] Visser Three remarked caustically.

I immediately turned my main eyes away from the rabbit. [Of course not,] I replied coldly. [I know this needs to be done.]

[What a Yeerk-like sentiment,] Visser Three said in a sneering tone.

I ignored him and the small voice inside my head that said that he was right. I was being quite ruthless and despite the fact everything I knew about Earth animals told me that rabbits were not sentient creatures, I was still sacrificing its life for my own selfish purposes. It did not please me to think that I could be acting like a Yeerk. Did that mean that I was somehow more Yeerk-like than other Andalites? I didn't think so. The other alternative was worse. It meant that somehow, us Andalites were not so different from the Yeerks after all. The fact that humans had committed worse atrocities than either the Yeerk or Andalite species was scant comfort.

[We should deposit this creature near the plant,] Visser Three said.

I nodded and began to walk in the direction of the Neflit plant. The rabbit in my arms stirred slightly and moved its head, its furry ears brushing my wrist. I ignored it. This was no time to be sentimental. We were not doing this for our own sadistic pleasure but for our survival.

When I judged us close enough to the plant, I set the rabbit down gently on the ground. Both Visser Three and I turned around and took a few paces backwards.

[I believe we should create some form of vibration in the ground to alert the plant,] I said, after a brief pause. [I will throw a rock.] Awkwardly, I bent over and took up a small rock. [We must be ready to run towards the plant and ensure its roots are uncovered while it is busy with the rabbit.]

[I am ready,] Visser Three said abruptly.

I looked over at him. His tail was arched and I could see the muscles in his back and chest. There was a thin sheen of glisten on his forehead and it was obvious that he was tense. I briefly considered saying a few words of encouragement, however decided against it. It was likely that Visser Three would simply laugh at me.

I turned the rock over in my fingers and drew my arm back. The rock flew through the air and landed about ten paces beyond where the rabbit lay still. I held my breath and watched as the rabbit moved one of its hind legs. Was it going to wake up? It then lay still again and I decided that it was probably an involuntary twitch.

[That seems to have been a failure,] Visser Three said.

[Wait,] I snapped, holding up a finger. I focused my main eyes and one of my stalk eyes towards where the rabbit was. My other stalk eye was trained on Visser Three. To my amusement, I could tell that he too was mainly focusing in front of him at the rabbit.

And then, it happened.

It was almost too fast for my eyes to detect, even though I was watching very intently. The books had said that the adult Neflit plants were incredibly fast, with some being able to move at the speed of an Andalite's tail. I had thought that very unlikely given my experience with the Neflit plant, but now it seemed that I was sorely mistaken.

One second, the rabbit lay there unconscious, one of its hind legs twitching slightly. The next second, a long thin stalk with several flowers at the end had come snaking out and one of the flowers had enveloped the rabbit. And then, the stalk had began to retract – at a much slower pace – taking the rabbit with it.

I swallowed hard as I saw that the rabbit had obviously woken up. The petals, engorged and swollen with food, were moving and there were distinct rabbit paw kicking out at them. The other flowers on the stalk seemed to hover around the central flower, obviously waiting for their own pickings of the food. When I saw the stalk slither back out of sight towards the main Neflit plant, I immediately was kicked into action.

[Come on,] I ordered and began running towards the plant. Beside me, I could see Visser Three running as well. He had a slightly shocked expression on his face. It was obvious that he had not expected that the plant would move so fast. As we neared where the Neflit plant was, I hoped that the plant was too busy gorging itself on the rabbit to try to attack us. Otherwise, we would be dead, even with our Andalite tails. The books had mentioned that the petals of the plant were inordinately difficult to cut through and tended to heal rather quickly.

[That looks disgusting,] Visser Three said as we came across the Neflit plant.

As I looked down, I had to agree. There was a distinctly rabbit shaped object in the middle of feasting flowers. It was very creepy and it was all I could do to stop myself from turning around and bolting in the opposite direction. [Right,] I said. [We need to cut it out.]

That was much easier said than done. Andalite tails were not created to dig into the ground and neither of us were inclined to kneel down and paw at the ground with our fingers. Visser Three did not suggest that he morph into something, so I presumed that he had no adequate morph to deal with the digging process.

[Try not to distract it from the feeding process,] I advised.

Visser Three glared at me. [I know.]

Finally, we managed to free one of its roots. From what the books had told me, I knew that it generally had three or four squat, thick, white roots. We continued to dig until we had uncovered another white slimy root.

It was then that the Neflit plant seemed to notice us. I didn't realise at first, but the one by one, the flowers turned their heads towards us. They seemed to bob in the air as tendrils began to slide towards us. [We should work faster,] I said.

Frantically, I knelt down and began using my hands to remove clods of earth away from the roots of the plant. One more root was exposed and from what I could tell, there seemed to be only one more root left. Visser Three was using the flat of his tail blade to hit the flowers as they crept towards me. [They seem to be moving slower,] he remarked.

[They'll freeze all together if I can get this final root,] I snapped. I could feel the tendrils tightening around my legs. I could see that Visser Three also had a tendril wrapped around his arm.

Then, suddenly, I had the final root exposed to the air. The flowers that Visser Three was keeping at bay, wavered in the air and then drooped. The tendrils that were wrapped around our various arms and legs slackened. I was able to peel them off. The flower that had been wrapped around the rabbit also relaxed and I could see the rabbit's half digested remains.

[I thought you said this plant took days to digest its food,] Visser Three said.

[I guess it was hungry,] I said as I straightened up. We both looked down at the Neflit plant that we had to carry back to the ship. I certainly did not feel like morphing into a bird and carrying it in my claws. I already had too many nightmares about this plant.

[How long will it survive not being in the ground?] Visser Three asked.

[I'm unsure,] I admitted. [We might need to plant it again once we get back. We also need to find a way to get it back.]

From the look on Visser Three's fact, he was about as eager as I was for that task.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 17**

Visser Three was not happy about having to carry the Neflit plant back to where the Yeerk fighter had crashed. However, he had to agree with me that his bird morph was far more suited to carrying it than mine. As we neared the Yeerk fighter, I was pleased to note that, from the air, the fighter looked almost capable of flight. It didn't look perfect, but the effort we had put in had made a difference.

Visser Three circled once and then, without warning, he dropped the Neflit plant onto the ground. I winced as I felt the plant brush past me before falling. I knew that it couldn't attack me in its current state, but I still didn't feel comfortable with its tendrils touching me.

Swooping, I landed and quickly demorphed. I could see Visser Three doing the same. After we were both in our Andalite bodies, we couldn't help but stare at the plant.

[We need to bury it back in the soil,] I said. [Otherwise it might die.]

Visser Three stared at me. He didn't look too happy about the idea of having anything more to do with the plant.

[It is also likely that we need more of them,] I added quickly.

Visser Three narrowed his main eyes at me. [Why did we not procure them while we were at that mountain?]

[Because we are physically incapable of carrying more than one adult plant back at a time,] I pointed out. [Unless you have a much bigger flying morph?]

Visser Three didn't respond.

[We need to bury this one and then go back tomorrow to search for more,] I snapped. I couldn't help a slight shudder that slid through my body at the thought of having to bury the Neflit plant. It would be very dangerous.

[Where do you propose that we bury it?]

I looked helplessly around. [Neither of us seem to enjoy the grass around that area,] I suggested, pointing at a small clearing near my left. [We could dig a hole there and bury the plant in the hole.]

[You make it sound so easy,] Visser Three said in a sneering tone.

I heaved a silent sigh and then pointed to the Neflit plant. [We might as well get it done sooner rather than later.] I could feel sweat beading up on my forehead as I stepped towards it. The fall had squished some of the flowers and twisted some of the tendrils. I hoped that this would make the plant less dangerous. Taking a deep breath, I bent over awkwardly and picked it up. A few petals floated to the ground as I straightened back up again. [You can dig the hole,] I said.

There was a strange look in Visser Three's eyes. If I hadn't known better, I would have thought it was respect. In any case, he didn't argue but simply turned around and began walking towards the clearing I had pointed towards.

It didn't take long for Visser Three to dig a hole. I could feel my hearts hammering in my chest as I stood over the hole, the Neflit plant in one hand ready to drop it in. Visser Three was beside me, ready to pack the dirt he had dug up around the plant's roots. I could see the muscles in his back tighten and knew that I wasn't the only one ready to run at any sign of movement from the plant.

[I'm going to drop it in now,] I said. I leaned over the hole and placed the Neflit plant in the centre of it. I then immediately stepped backwards, but there was no movement from the plant.

[Coward,] Visser Three told me. [Didn't you say that it was going to stay frozen while its roots are exposed to air?]

I knew that, logically, but emotionally, I kept on seeing the Neflit plant eating the rabbit. It was necessary, but I couldn't help thinking that it definitely wasn't the right thing to do. [Cover the roots with dirt then,] I said, hoping that Visser Three wouldn't notice the slight tremble in my voice.

Visser Three kicked at the dirt with his hooves until the roots were slowly covered. It was then I saw the tendrils of the Neflit plant slowly uncurl and the flowers turn their heads around towards us, menacingly.

[I believe we should run now,] I suggested.

[Very good idea,] Visser Three said, as he began to run away with long strides.

I also turned and began to run. I had only managed a few steps when I felt an impediment. There was something curling around one of my legs. Turning one of my stalk eyes down, I realised that one of the tendrils of the Neflit plant had wrapped itself around my leg. I was horrified. I tried to kick at it, but it simply wrapped itself tighter.

Then as I watched, the tip of the tendril glistened and then stabbed sharply at my leg.

I felt a small stinging pain. I shook my leg more insistently and to my surprise, the tendril fell away harmlessly. I began running away again, but somehow I felt clumsy. My steps became slower and slower and the world spun around me.

The small pain in my leg grew until the pain was coursing through my body. Through the red haze, I realised that I had stopped altogether and had ended up kneeling on the ground. With great effort, I turned one of my stalk eyes around and could see one of the flowers of the Neflit plant creeping towards me. Using the other eye, I could see Visser Three had already reached the crashed Yeerk fighter and was far beyond the reach of the Neflit plant.

[H-help,] I managed to gasp out, but my thought speak was weak. I didn't even know if Visser Three could hear me and even if he could, I doubted that he would help me.

Everything began to blur and I felt myself slipping sideways until my head hit the ground.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 18**

My head felt like something had slammed it with a hammer several hundred times over. I felt nauseous and if I still was possessed of a mouth, I would have thrown up many times. I felt like the time when I had imbibed too much human alcohol and Loren had to half-drag, half-carry me home from the pub. Except now, Loren wasn't here. The only person who was here was Visser Three.

I stiffened and tried to stand up but my limbs didn't seem to co-operate. My arms simply flopped weakly at my sides. With great effort, I pried my eyes open and moved my stalk eyes around. Within a few seconds, the world came into focus around me and I could see Visser Three standing there with a rather amused expression on his face.

[What did you do?] I snapped, wincing at how weak my thought speak voice was.

[I did not do anything,] Visser Three said wryly. [The Neflit plant stung you with something. I managed to get you away from the plant but I believe that you will be incapacitated for days.]

I grimaced mentally. I didn't like the idea that Visser Three had managed to save my life. A thought suddenly occurred to me. I would have to rely on Visser Three for the next few days if I was unable to move. That idea did not appeal to me at all.

[Aren't you going to thank me?]

I narrowed my main eyes at him. [Thank you,] I said grudgingly. I then tried yet again to move my arms. This time, I managed to get them to move slightly, but not in the direction I was trying to get them to move in.

[There is a container of water near your hooves,] Visser Three told me. He sounded like the words were being forced out of him. [If you can move, then you should be able to drink some water.]

I was suspicious. This wasn't like Visser Three to be so nice. I knew that he wasn't completely doing this to be kind. Yeerks simply weren't kind. I was still useful to him, but still. [I'm afraid I can't seem to move them.]

To my complete and utter surprise, Visser Three knelt awkwardly and manoeuvred the container of water so that one of my hooves was dipped into it. I began to drink. Even the simple effort of absorbing water made me exhausted. I was beginning to wonder if I would ever recover. I had no idea that the Neflit plant could sting me. What would happen to me if I didn't begin to recover in a few days?

[Why are you helping me?] I asked suspiciously.

Visser Three didn't answer. He simply moved the container of water to one side and held up a small bunch of grass to my hoof. [It is not fresh, but I presume you would be hungry,] he told me.

I felt rather embarrassed as I ate. It was not unlike when I was being looked after my parents when I was sick as a child. Except this wasn't either of my parents. He wasn't even my friend. Visser Three was my enemy and I vowed to myself that I would never let myself forget it.

After I had finished the bunch of grass, Visser Three stood up. [I must continue working on the ship,] he said abruptly.

I watched as he walked back towards the downed Yeerk fighter.

-***-

Over the next few hours, I found that I could slowly move one hoof. It wasn't enough to help me stand up or do anything, except I would no longer have to go through that embarrassing process of having Visser Three feed me. He would simply need to put the food or water near my hoof and I would be able to slowly, and painfully, manoeuvre my hoof to the food or water.

I also found that I could bend my fingers. It seemed that whatever the Neflit plant had injected me was beginning to wear off, albeit slowly. It was likely that within a few days, I would be up and about again, a fact that I was very thankful for.

[Are you feeling better?]

Startled, I twisted my stalk eyes upwards and saw Visser Three standing there, looking imposing. [I am feeling better,] I said cautiously. [I am rather hungry though.]

Visser Three snorted. [Shall I feed you again?]

[Just put the food near my hoof,] I snapped.

Visser Three narrowed his eyes. [I suggest,] he said icily, [that you should be nicer to me. After all, I will be responsible for your welfare for the next few days. You can survive perfectly well without food and water for that period of time. I do not need to continue to bring that to you.]

I had to admit he had a valid point. It made me even more puzzled as to why Visser Three was bothering with all of this. Still, I knew it wouldn't kill me if I was nice to him. It would only be for a few days while I was still incapacitated.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 19**

Over the next few days, Visser Three continued being reasonably civil to me. It was unnerving, to say the least. I continually expected to feel the pain of his tail blade slicing into me, but instead, he spent most of the day making small repairs on the ship. The only times he came close to me were to hand me containers of water and food.

[How are the repairs coming along?] I asked abruptly when Visser Three handed me a small container that he had filled with several types of grass. I had to admit that I appreciated the gesture. It was unpleasant eating the same variety of grass all the time. It was rather reminiscent of the few weeks I had spent on Earth eating nothing but hamburgers. I had grown very tired of them by the end.

[They are progressing,] Visser Three said evenly.

There was an awkward pause. [Thank you for doing this,] I finally muttered. [I did not expect it.]

[We Yeerks are not as bad as you would have the galaxy believe,] Visser Three told me. [We are not without honour.]

I resisted the urge to snort. [I suppose,] I said. The doubt was evident in my voice.

[I know you do not believe me,] Visser Three said abruptly. [I do not expect you to. How are you healing?]

I moved my legs experimentally. [I believe I am almost healed. I should be able to stand now.]

To my surprise, Visser Three walked over and held out an arm to me. When I didn't take it, he looked at me impatiently. [You won't be able to stand of your own accord. You need to use me as a lever,] he snapped. [Don't be stupid, Elfangor.]

Gingerly, I held out my arm and grasped Visser Three's fingers with my own. His hands were warm. This felt distinctly uncomfortable. As I used my other arm to push myself off the arm, I wished that I had my human arms. I briefly considered trying to morph to human to use the stronger human arms to get off the ground, but I decided against it. I was still feeling weak and morphing would sap too much energy out of me at the moment.

Keeping a tight grasp on Visser Three's hand, I managed to stand up on wobbly legs. I let go of his hand and let out a breath. I seemed to be strong enough to stand up on my own, albeit, the world seemed to be spinning around me wildly.

[You seem to be well enough again,] Visser Three said. [We will recommence repairing the ship immediately.]

I held up a hand. Visser Three looked at me in a puzzled way until I realised that it was a distinctly human gesture. [I don't think I'm strong enough yet.]

Visser Three looked displeased.

With effort, I tried to take a step forward. My leg wobbled and I felt my knee give away as I sank back down to the ground. Visser Three managed to surprise me again as he grabbed me by the elbow, steadied me until I was able to stand upright again.

[Very well,] he told me. [You will stand here while I fix the ship. When you feel strong enough, I trust that you will walk over and assist me.] With that, he walked towards the ship that I could see half-concealed by the trees.

Standing was more work than I first thought. My hearts pounded as I endeavoured to keep standing. I did not want to appear weak in this situation. I managed to edge towards a tree and leaned against it. That made it easier to stand. After a few minutes, I felt like it was becoming easier to stay standing. I was feeling more tired though.

I tried, yet again, to take a step forward. This time I stumbled and fell over.

[Foolish,] Visser Three told me.

I turned a stalk eye towards the ship and could see him looking over at me as well.

[I suppose I shall have to work on this ship alone for a few more days,] Visser Three said.

I watched as he turned back to the ship.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 20**

About half a day later, I found myself almost able to stand and walk normally. I didn't think I could engage in a tail fight with Visser Three or morph yet, but I thought that I could walk over and help him with the ship. With minimal effort, I dragged myself up and walked over to where Visser Three was surveying the ship intently.

[I see that you're feeling better,] Visser Three said, as one of his stalk eyes moved to stare intently at me.

[I am,] I agreed. I then hesitated. To thank Visser Three would mean that I would have to put myself in his debt and I loathed being in the debt of a Yeerk. But, over the past few days, I had found myself thinking of him as less of an enemy, and more of an acquaintance, or possibly even a friend. He didn't need to help me. In fact, he could have just left me to the mercies of the Neflit plant. But he didn't. He actually fed me and gave me water while I was incapacitated. [Thank you,] I muttered.

Visser Three snorted. [I can tell that it took you a lot to be able to say that to me, so I won't get you to say it again.]

I stared at him. I didn't know what I'd expected, but Visser Three had surprised me yet again. I suddenly realised that he hadn't been treating me as an enemy either. I hadn't realised it before, but Visser Three was quite amusing at times.

[I've almost finished the repairs,] Visser Three said abruptly. [We should be able to fly off this planet soon. I even procured us another Neflit plant.] He pointed into the distance.

I took a deep breath and tried not to seem horrified. I followed the line of his finger and could see not one but two flowering innocent-looking Neflit plants. I wondered how Visser Three had managed to get the second one so easily. I hadn't even noticed when he had left to get another one. He hadn't even been injured in the process!

Visser Three looked smug. [I believe that with two plants, we should be able to power the ship.]

I frowned. Ideally, I would have liked to have three or four plants, but given the circumstances, I didn't want to sit around on this planet for much longer. I knew what the Ellimist's plan was and it was still ridiculous. Once we were back on a proper world, Visser Three and I would go back to being enemies. I walked around the ship and inspected the work Visser Three had done over the past few days. To my surprise, he was right. The Z-space engines seemed to be almost fixed. It was likely that within a day or so, we would be able to power up the normal engines, fly off this planet, then open up a Z-space window and get out of here.

[I thought we would go to a neutral world,] Visser Three said, when I didn't say anything. [I believe that one of the Skrit Na outposts would be appropriate. Once we're out in Z-space, we should be able to determine where we are and program the co-ordinates into the computer.]

It was typical. The Skrit Na were the scavengers of the galaxy, but I had to admit that they were basically neutral. As far as you could define neutrality anyway. I knew they dealt with the Yeerks and our military also dealt with them on occasion. We didn't like it, but some things were necessary. [Fine,] I said shortly. [I presume you'd want to keep your ship.]

Visser Three stared at me, surprise filling his eyes. [Our truce would run out once I've left the Skrit Na world.]

I inclined my head. [This is acceptable to me.] I couldn't help but feel a sliver of relief that he wouldn't just shoot me once we got to the Skrit Na world. Of course, I still wasn't sure that I believed his promises, but he hadn't killed me so far.

[Both the Neflit plants seem to be doing well,] Visser Three told me, as he followed me into the Yeerk fighter. My stalk eyes brushed the ceiling as I walked, making me feel uncomfortable. [I have managed to find some Earth animals to feed them with.]

[Good,] I said. I suspected that Visser Three was making fun of me. [This ship is rather small.]

[It'll get us off the plant. That's what matters,] Visser Three pointed out. [This is one scheme by your Ellimist that is doomed to fail.]

I felt a shiver go through me at his words. Somehow, it felt like we were tempting fate. The Ellimist was more powerful than either of us could guess. [Yes,] I said firmly. [We will succeed with our plan.]


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 21**

[Ready?] Visser Three asked, from the controls. He had ended up taking the main ship controls, while I took life support and weapons. It made sense given that he was more familiar with the ship, but I couldn't help but feel that I was rather superfluous to the whole operation. We weren't planning on shooting anybody and if our life support systems crashed, it was unlikely that I could fix them before we died.

[As ready as I'll ever be,] I replied tersely. I braced myself as Visser Three began the start-up sequence.

Visser Three stared over at me. [If this doesn't work, we'll be blown up. Are you sure you don't want to wait outside?]

I snorted. Visser Three didn't fool me. [And let you leave without me? No thanks. I'm staying here. It'll work.] I felt my hearts pounding when he punched in the necessary numbers to take off. Despite my positive words, I still wasn't completely sure. I could feel my hearts clench as he pressed the last button on the control console.

To my relief, the ship took off smoothly, with only the slightest shudder. We glided up until I could see the trees underneath us shrinking. From up here, the patchwork of Yeerk, human and Andalite worlds didn't look so strange. I shivered. It looked almost exactly like when the Ellimist had first shown me this world.

The ship trembled slightly as we exited the atmosphere of the planet and emerged under a clear blanket of stars. It was beautiful. I didn't realise how much I had missed seeing clear open space. Despite the fact we hadn't yet tried to start up the Z-drives, I felt like I was finally going home, after so many years, first on Earth and then on this horrible planet.

[This is the dangerous part,] Visser Three said, as he walked over to the Z-space consoles.

I nodded. We couldn't test the Z-space drive on the planet because it would have torn a hole in the fabric of space and time, but as far as the ship's sensors could pick up, they were working perfectly. [It'll work,] I said confidently.

[Typical Andalite arrogance,] Visser Three snapped.

I couldn't help but feel a twinge of hurt. It had been a while since Visser Three had used a tone of such hatred with me. It was as though he also could feel that we were both going home. It was for the best, I told myself. It was better that we both get back to normality. Andalites and Yeerks weren't meant to be friends. It was unnatural. I looked over at him coldly. [Don't forget, Visser Three, you also worked on this vessel. Surely you ought to trust your own expertise. Or at least that of Alloran.]

Visser Three stiffened and I saw his two stalk eyes turn in my direction. There was a burning look in them. [Initialising Z-space drives,] he said abruptly, his delicate Andalite fingers dancing over the console.

I readied myself for the disorienting feeling of a shift into Z-space. It was as if I was watching Visser Three move in slow motion as his hand moved towards the last button. Here goes nothing, I told myself as Visser Three pressed the button.

I held my breath. I first thought nothing had happened, but then I felt the familiar sensation as we moved beyond the realms of normal space and into Z-space. [We did it!] I shouted. I felt exhilarated. I could go back to my people. I could even go back to Loren and our child. I could do anything because we had escaped the grasp of the Ellimist.

To my surprise, I found myself grabbing Visser Three in a very human gesture of a hug. It was apparent that old habits died hard. When I was human, I found it very difficult to stop stroking Loren's cheeks whenever we were together, which other humans seemed to find very bizarre. Now, it seemed that I had acquired some human habits such as hugging. I suddenly wondered if, given the right circumstances, I would still react with the human gesture of a kiss.

Visser Three stiffened in my arms and I could see his tail blade arc up. It stopped halfway and seemed to tremble in mid-air. [What are you doing, Elfangor?]

I stepped back quickly, my hearts hammering in my chest. That was a very good question. What was I doing? I wasn't sure. I really wasn't. [I...] I stammered. [It's a human gesture of friendship.] I regretted the words as soon as they were out of my mouth.

Visser Three stared at me. [Of friendship?] he repeated incredulously.

[It's a human social convention,] I explained tersely. [It is apparent I haven't rid myself of all of their social customs yet.]

Visser Three looked slightly amused. [And what other social customs have you acquired from these humans.]

I could feel my fur darken with embarrassment. Surely Visser Three wasn't asking what I thought he was asking? No, it was impossible. I moved my stalk eyes and stared out of the window at the whiteness of Z-space speeding by. [Nothing I would care to demonstrate,] I said quickly. [Have you determined where we are so far?]

[Very subtle,] Visser Three said dryly. [I take it you wish to change the subject. Very well. I have determined that we are approximately three days away from a Skrit Na world, one on the very edge of the galaxy. From there, you should be able to contact your people.]

[Good,] I said. I felt as though the atmosphere inside the vessel was stifling even though I knew from the readout in front of me that everything was perfectly normal and that there was the right blend of gases for our Andalite bodies. [I shall continue monitoring these then,] I said, gesturing to the consoles in front of me.

[Very well,] Visser Three said and turned back to the navigational console.

It really was too small in the ship, I thought as I tried my best not to use more than one stalk eye to stare at Visser Three. I tried to tell myself that it was simply the claustrophobia that my species as a whole suffered from but it felt like more than that. I wasn't sure what I was feeling yet, but it was definitely centred on Visser Three.

I really couldn't wait until we got to the Skrit Na world. Once I was back among other people, whether allies or enemies, everything would be back to normal.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 22**

After only a day, the atmosphere inside the Yeerk ship had become stifling. Of course, the oxygen circulators were working fine, but the cramped quarters were beginning to affect me. Visser Three barely said anything. Every time I looked over at him, he seemed to be punching co-ordinates into the controls. I wasn't sure but it seemed to me that he was becoming increasingly worried, however, when I asked him, he brushed off my concern.

I felt as if something wasn't right but I turned my mind away from it. It was probably nothing. Besides, we were both finally on our way home. While we had been fixing the ship, I had also studied some of the new Yeerk features. I had much to tell the Andalite Council when I finally got back. They would probably make me a Prince. Perhaps I could take Loren back to the Andalite home world for a holiday. Surely that would allow me to have the best of both worlds while still fulfilling whatever the Ellimist wanted to fulfil.

I was daydreaming about seeing Loren's face again when there was a sound from the navigational controls. I twisted one of my stalk eyes and saw Visser Three kick the table.

[This can't be right!] he burst out.

Startled, I walked over to where he was standing. [What's wrong?]

Visser Three's eyes were narrowed. [We're not moving,] he snapped.

[What?] I stared out the window. It looked like normal Z-space to me. It was impossible that we could be stationary in Z-space.

[We're not moving,] he repeated.

[That's impossible,] I told him as I pushed past him and took the controls. I could feel Visser Three's muscles twitch as I brushed past. Belatedly, I realised that I wasn't on guard around him anymore. [Maybe you're not reading it correctly.]

[Typical Andalite,] Visser Three said in a sneering tone. [I'm telling you that we're not moving. I first thought it was a glitch on the controls, but I've been running diagnostics for the past day. We're stationary in Z-space.]

[But, but, but,] I spluttered, staring down at the controls. I quickly brought up a diagnostic window which confirmed what Visser Three was telling me. The ship was stationary in Z-space. That was impossible. It just couldn't be! It wasn't as though we were in morph, with our excess mass protruding in Z-space. That was possible, but for a ship in its entirety to be inside Z-space, it needed to be moving. [It can't be!]

[Look with all four eyes, Elfangor,] Visser Three said sarcastically. [It's obvious what's happening.]

In my hearts, I felt a sinking feeling. It looked like I wasn't going to be seeing Loren or my family or any other Andalite any time soon. [The Ellimist,] I said grimly.

CORRECT.

I stared wildly around the ship but I could see nobody. Visser Three seemed equally agitated. [Ellimist,] I hissed.

The air in between us shimmered and an elderly Andalite appeared. He appeared much like our elder Andalite statesmen and I immediately felt as if he was somebody that I could respect. [I felt that it would be better for me to take corporeal form,] the Ellimist said calmly.

Faster than my eye could see, Visser Three stepped forward and whipped his tail up to the Ellimist's throat. [Return us home,] Visser Three snapped. [Or I will kill you.]

To my surprise, the Ellimist laughed. [You may try.]

I saw Visser Three's tail twitch. It looked as if he was going to slice the Ellimist's throat opened, but it never happened. I saw him pull his tail blade back and then bring it forward again. Again, it stopped within a millimetre of the Ellimist's throat.

[You cannot kill me,] the Ellimist told us. [It is futile to try.]

Fuming, Visser Three stepped backwards. [What do you want, Ellimist?] he spat.

[What I want is of no consequence,] the Ellimist told us.

I could feel the beginnings of a headache. Talking to the Ellimist was frustrating. [Why are you here?] I asked.

The Ellimist regarded me calmly through all four eyes. It was creepy. Usually, with Andalites, at least one stalk eye was always scanning the environment. However, the Ellimist focused all his eyes at me. [You cannot escape the planet. It hasn't been a year yet. I gave both of you one year on this planet. It was my gift to you.]

I fumed inwardly while Visser Three snorted. [We wish to return this gift,] I said, trying to keep my voice even. [Is this possible?]

There was a small pause. I could feel the Ellimist stare into my eyes. I stared back intently. [It is possible, Elfangor,] the Ellimist finally said. [I am aware that you Andalites believe that we play a game with your lives; however, I play a much larger game overall and the stakes in this game are high indeed. I risked much to give you two this opportunity, but I believe in free will. If you are to leave this planet before the year is out, you must find your own way off the planet. The knowledge is within you both. The knowledge of three species will set you free.]

I stared.

[Tell us how to get off the planet,] Visser Three snapped. He stepped forward again but in a swirl of glittering dust, the Ellimist had disappeared.

YOU HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE. YOU MUST SEEK THE BALANCE.

It made absolutely no sense to me.

LOOK WITHIN YOURSELF, ELFANGOR. YOU WILL FIND THE ANSWER.

Visser Three spun around to look at me. [So,] he said sarcastically. [Care to enlighten me as to the answer?]

I spread my hands helplessly in a human gesture of bewilderment. [I don't know. Ellimist, can't you tell us more?]

But it seemed as though the Ellimist had left. There was no answer.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 23**

[We _will_ get this ship moving again,] Visser Three seethed as he slammed his fists down onto the controls. [The Ellimist cannot control the entire universe.]

I kept silent. From everything I knew about the Ellimist, it was entirely possible that the Ellimist could have control of the entire universe. It was a terrifying notion that we might not have free will. I didn't want to dwell on the idea.

Visser Three glared at me. [Perhaps you could help me, Elfangor,] he said icily.

I walked over to where he was standing in front of the main consoles. I had been watching him for the past few hours and to me, it seemed as though he had tried every single possible option. [What do you want me to do?] I asked.

[Fix it!]

I heaved a mental sigh and pushed past him, ignoring the outraged noise he made. I began by inputting commands into the console in an attempt to see if the engine had stalled. Although, frankly, deep down, I thought that it was far more likely that the universe around us had stalled. My mind was still stuck on the fact that it was impossible that we could be stationary in Z-space.

[I've already checked that,] Visser Three told me, sounding exasperated.

[It's always good to double-check,] I snapped. I could feel Visser Three's annoyance as he shifted onto his hind legs behind me. I typed in a few more commands, but the computer gave me the same result it had given Visser Three. We were not moving and the computer had no idea why. The strange thing was that sometimes the display looked normal, and sometimes, it froze as if the laws of physics had disappeared. Given the Ellimist was involved, it was quite likely that the latter had happened, actually.

[You're useless,] Visser Three said, but there was no real vitriol behind the insult.

I snorted. [I don't think we're going to be able to get away from this planet,] I admitted. [Have you tried to drop out of Z-space?]

[No,] Visser Three said.

[Perhaps, we could just use the normal engines to get to where we need to go,] I suggested. [The time dilation effects shouldn't be too bad.]

There was a pensive expression on Visser Three's face. [It'll be years for everybody else and at least several months for us at Maximum Burn,] he said slowly. [The Ellimist said that he would let us off the planet before that.]

I was surprised that Visser Three trusted the Ellimist after everything that the Ellimist had put us through. [We could solve the Ellimist's puzzle,] I said.

[Feel free,] Visser Three told me. [If you would like to enlighten me, you can do so at any point. What did the Ellimist mean by the knowledge of three species will set you free?]

Frankly, I had no idea, but I didn't want to admit that. [Perhaps he is referring to the fact that you're a Yeerk and I'm an Andalite.]

Visser Three stared at me. [That's two species. You have no idea, do you?] He had a disdainful expression on his face.

I disliked the fact that I seemed to transparent to him. [I believe that I'm on the right track,] I insisted. I wasn't, but the more I thought about it, the more it made a strange sort of sense. Despite physical appearances, Visser Three was most definitely not an Andalite. Even I sometimes had difficulty remembering that Visser Three's body was actually Alloran and that Alloran's brain had a Yeerk slug wrapped around its crevices.

[You can work on that puzzle. I will get us away from this planet,] Visser Three said tersely. He brushed past me and I stumbled slightly against the control console. Immediately, his stalk eyes whipped towards me and I felt uncomfortable under his gaze. [Be careful, Elfangor,] he said softly.

I shivered and narrowed my eyes. [I'm always careful,] I snapped. I immediately regretted my hasty response. It sounded like I had let Visser Three affect me and I didn't want him to know that. [Good luck with the controls.]

Visser Three stared at me, with a strange look in his eyes. [We Yeerks do not believe in luck,] he finally said. [But I thank you for the sentiment.]

To be honest, when I thought about it, I realised that Andalites didn't believe in luck either. Most of us, anyway. There were always strange elements in every species. It was humans who believed in luck. All that time on Earth had affected me much more than I realised.

-***-

It took another day for Visser Three to admit defeat. He looked as though he was within an inch of setting fire to the console by the time he stalked over to where I was standing. [We're going to drop out of Z-space,] he said shortly.

I nodded and watched as Visser Three walked back to punch the commands into the computer. I held my breath as the ship lurched around us and the whiteness outside turned into darkness. I stared outside and could see stars again. [Where are we?] I asked. When Visser Three didn't answer, I turned a stalk eye to look at him and realised that Visser Three was staring out the other window.

When I followed his gaze, I realised with sinking hearts that we were still over the planet. We hadn't gone anywhere. I knew that this was probably the case, but it was one thing to guess and another thing to know.

I watched as Visser Three pushed a few more buttons. It felt as though the ship was accelerating, however, as I looked outside the window, the stars remained unchanged and we were still as close to the planet as we were before. [Let me guess,] I said bitterly, [we can't use Maximum Burn to get out of here.]

[Correct,] Visser Three snapped. He sounded furious.

I sighed. It looked as though we had to go back to the planet and either wait out the year or solve the Ellimist's puzzle. It wasn't as though the Ellimist had given us any other choice. My fists clenched and I narrowed my main eyes. Visser Three wasn't the only angry person on this ship. [How dare the Ellimist do this?] I burst out.

Visser Three didn't reply.

Author Notes: This is approximately just over the halfway point of this story. :)


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 24**

Despite the situation, I couldn't help feeling relief wash over me as I stepped out of the cramped ship quarters onto the planet. Having open skies above my head and grass under my feet immediately made the situation feel better for me. I twisted one of my stalk eyes towards Visser Three and could see a similar look of respite on his face.

[So,] Visser Three said dryly, [we're back where we started.]

[At least,] I said shortly, [we have the Ellimist's clue to help us get off the plant.]

[I presume the great Elfangor has already solved it, then?] Visser Three settled onto his hind legs and stared at me expectantly.

I didn't answer. I knew he was baiting me and it angered me to realise that I could be baited so easily. I could feel my fur bristle and I could hear my hearts pounding louder. Turning my back on him, but still keeping a stalk eye trained on him for safety, I walked away.

[Ah yes,] Visser Three called after me, [I'm positive that sulking will help us both.]

I ignored him as I walked away. I needed to think about the Ellimist's puzzle. I suspected that the answer was quite simple. The Ellimist was a trickster by nature and he enjoyed setting riddles that seemed complicated at first glance but could be easily solved. It reminded me of those little puzzle boxes they used to sell in gift shops on Earth. I watched my Earth friends spend hours trying to solve them, and when they finally did, the answer was always laughably simple.

I stopped walking when I could no longer see Visser Three. I walked up to a _therant _tree and leant up against its cool bark. [Help me,] I whispered, but the tree was silent.

I dug one hoof into the grass and ate. The grass was delicious and nourishing but didn't serve to make my head any clearer. Could it all be a joke by the Ellimist? Did he plan all of this to take both of us out of the galactic equation? An unpleasant thought occurred to me. Perhaps the galaxy was better off without either of us. Loren had once ran her fingers through my human hair and whispered that I was a fulcrum around which events changed.

Certainly, the galaxy would be better off without Visser Three. Out of all the Yeerks I'd had the displeasure of meeting face-to-face, I found that he was one of the most megalomaniacal of them all. But surely, I was a force of good in the galaxy? The Ellimist couldn't have meant to strand me here for eternity?

[Brooding, I see,] Visser Three said.

I jumped, feeling startled. I had forgotten to always keep a stalk eye scanning my environment for possible enemies. Visser Three had crept up behind me silently enough that he could have used his tail blade to slice me in half and I wouldn't have noticed until the blood began leaking out of me. I blamed the years I had spent as a human. They had obviously weakened and dulled my natural Andalite reflexes. However, a small part of me wondered if it was something more. [I'm not brooding,] I snapped.

[It would be much easier if we could just eliminate the Ellimist,] Visser Three mused. To my surprise, he laughed silently. [Eliminate the Ellimist. Very amusing.]

I stared at him. [Feel free to try,] I told him, gesturing around at the forest around us. [If you could find him and eliminate him, it would benefit both of us. I suspect you won't be able to find him though. That's one of the benefits of being a trans-dimensional being.]

[I would have thought your years on Earth might have imbued you with a sense of humour,] Visser Three said. [Alloran didn't understand my little joke either.]

A sudden thought was beginning to occur to me, but the idea was so unpleasant that I immediately pushed it away. Surely the Ellimist couldn't mean for us to do that. It was against every Andalite fibre in my body. I suspected Visser Three wouldn't be particularly unhappy with the situation, but then again, he was a Yeerk.

Visser Three studied me with all four of his eyes. [You've thought of something, haven't you?] he said bluntly.

[No,] I denied adamantly. Besides, it was only an idea. A very small idea floating in my mind.

Visser Three stepped closer to me. I could see his muscles in his legs flex and tense. He was so close to me that I could see and smell the sweat on his fur. It was strange smelling Andalite sweat after so many years. Human sweat was very unpleasant. Loren had tried to explain to me that it had something to do with pheromones and attraction, but I still refused to breathe through my nose whenever we were in a crowded place. Andalite sweat, however, had a smell that was close to pine cones and rain. [I know you better than that,] Visser Three said softly, his words causing my fur to rise up on the back of my neck.

[It's just a thought that crossed my mind,] I said. [It's probably nothing.]

Visser Three leaned closer. His larger, slightly more muscular body felt like it was dwarfing me. I would have stepped backwards if there wasn't a _therant _tree behind me. [I would like to know your thought, Elfangor.]

I sighed mentally. I suspected I'd have to tell Visser Three eventually. [The Ellimist mentioned three species. I'm an Andalite. You're a Yeerk.]

Visser Three snorted. [I could have told you that.]

[But,] I continued, [I have also been a human for many years. I have my human DNA inside of me. Sometimes...] I hesitated. [Sometimes, I even feel more human than Andalite.]

[Yeerk, Andalite and human,] Visser Three said thoughtfully. [How would we combine them though?]

I hesitated again. This was the unpleasant part my mind was backing away from. [I don't know,] I lied.

There was a gleam in Visser Three's eyes. I was beginning to get a bad feeling about this. I suspected that he had come to the same conclusion as me. [You could morph into human and I could take over your body,] he said, sounding strangely eager at the idea.

[No,] I burst out. I turned away from Visser Three and began to walk away as fast as I could. [I would rather stay on this planet for a lifetime.]

[I don't think so,] Visser Three called after me. [I know you, Elfangor. You will do this. And it will work.]

**Author Notes**: My apologies for not updating for so long! RL got in the way. Updates should be regular again with one update every day or every two days.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 25**

Visser Three made no move to follow me. I continued walking long after my hooves felt tired. When I was hungry, I simply absorbed grass as I walked and when I was thirsty, I trailed one of my hooves in a stream I was following. I wanted to put as much distance between me and Visser Three as possible. There was absolutely no way I was going to allow Visser Three to infest me. It was not an option. I would much rather wait an entire year and see if the Ellimist was true to his word about us only being on this planet for a year.

The Ellimist's puzzle echoed in my head. The knowledge of three species would set us free. The answer I had come up with was ridiculous. Yet, it seemed to fit from what I knew of the Ellimist. He was a trickster who enjoyed playing with lesser beings. He also seemed to have a peculiar fascination with both my life and that of Visser Three.

It only made sense that the solution to his puzzle would be a melding of me and Visser Three. It had come to me when I was thinking about the years I had spent as a human. I continually found myself being reminded of my human life as Alan Fangor. The life I had together with Loren. I still missed her so much that it was an almost constant ache in my hearts.

To the Ellimist, I represented a blending of human and Andalite understanding. Visser Three represented the Yeerks.

An unpleasant thought occurred to me. Perhaps Visser Three represented more than the Yeerks. It seemed feasible that after so many years, Visser Three may have absorbed some of Alloran's personality. After all, it was impossible that he could have completely ignored Alloran's voice inside his head. Surely, some of his actions were shaped, in part, by Alloran.

If Visser Three took over my body, it would represent a blending of three races. I could certainly see how the Ellimist might be amused by the possibility.

But deep down, I knew that the Ellimist was playing this game with our lives for more than simply his own amusement. He had told us that there was much at stake. He seemed to want me to come to some sort of understanding with Visser Three.

I snorted silently with amusement. The only sort of understanding I seemed to have with Visser Three was over the idiocy of the Ellimist's plan.

I slowly came to a stop next to a huge oak tree. I stared up at its branches and wished that he could talk to me and whisper comfort to me. I pressed my delicate fingers onto its rough bark. [Give me the wisdom to do what is right,] I said softly.

-***-

Visser Three barely twitched a stalk eye when I re-entered the clearing. [So,] he said almost casually after a pause. [Have you re-considered?] He seemed delighted with the entire prospect.

I grimaced. [How do we even know this is going to work?]

Visser Three shrugged. [I imagine we'll know immediately,] he said. [Perhaps we'll be transported instantly to a central planet.]

I turned all four of my eyes to glare at him. [You'll still be in my body,] I said sharply.

Visser Three's eyes gleamed. [I've always thought that we'd make a great team, Elfangor,] he said softly. [Perhaps this was always meant to be.]

I took an involuntary step backwards. [No!] I snapped. [You're going to leave my body once this exercise is over. I don't care if we're here, or on some Yeerk world or on any other world. I'm not going to be your host.]

He leered at me. [It looks like you have no other choice.]

[I could wait out the year,] I told him. It was definitely not my first choice, however, if it was between this and becoming a host, I would definitely prefer to wait out the year.

Visser Three was giving me a strange look. It looked almost calculating.

I twitched my tail. [Don't even think about it,] I warned.

[Aren't you forgetting something,] Visser Three said almost casually. [I'm in Alloran's body. If you do this, Alloran will be free.]

It was as though my hearts had stopped beating. Even during those years of being human, I had never forgotten Alloran. His captivity and slavery was my burden to bear, regardless of how many times Loren told me otherwise. It was my weakness that had made the Andalite controller abomination. It was my fault. And now I was given an opportunity to fix it.

Visser Three sneered at me. [Noble Elfangor forgot about Alloran.]

[I didn't forget,] I told him, but I didn't even manage to convince myself with my tone. I could save Alloran. If Visser Three took my body, then Alloran would be free. He would be able to go back to the Andalite home world and see his wife and children again. It was the right thing to do. I knew it. But I couldn't bring myself to agree.

[You could give him his life back,] Visser Three taunted me. [All you would need to do is open up your ear canal to me.]

[No,] I burst out.

Visser Three looked amused. [Regardless of how much you deny it,] Visser Three told me in a slightly admiring tone that sickened me, [you are quite like a Yeerk. Well done. You certainly made the logical decision.]

I felt like throwing up. If I had a mouth, I certainly would have done so.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 26**

Visser Three's words echoed unpleasantly in my mind. I had made a decision worthy of a Yeerk. I had doomed Alloran to an eternity as Visser Three's host body. Visser Three was right. It was a despicable decision for me to make. Still, I couldn't fathom any reasonable alternative. If I let Visser Three into my head, it was going to be for forever.

Unless he can go back into Alloran's body, a small voice inside my head whispered unpleasantly. Surely, to Visser Three, one Andalite body was as good as another. Despite Alloran's age, he was still a fit warrior with an excellent physique. If Visser Three could go back to Alloran's body, then he wouldn't need to stay in mine.

I shook my head impatiently. I didn't want Visser Three inside my head in the first place.

Even if it allows you to go home, the small voice asked insistently, but I ignored it. I could wait out the year. Surely the Ellimist wasn't lying about that. I wanted to help Alloran but I couldn't, I wouldn't doom myself in the process.

[I take it you wish to leave poor Alloran to his fate?] Visser Three taunted me. [I can hear his agonised cries now, even though he tries to hide them from me. He misses his wife. He misses his children. He misses the skies above your world.] He waved his arms around. [This pathetic facade makes him feel sick.]

[Shut up,] I said tightly. I felt bad enough without Visser Three's words. I suspected it would be infinitely worse if he were inside my head, privy to my every thought. The thought sickened me. How could the Ellimist ever believe that I would be a willing host? I was no Taxxon. I wasn't going to simply hand over my body and my free will like that.

To my surprise, I saw Visser Three walking away back towards the direction of his cave. [I trust you'll come to the right decision, Elfangor.]

I stared after him. I continued staring long after he had disappeared into the forest. The right decision. Those words were laughable coming from a Yeerk. There was no right decision here and Visser Three knew it. We were both important to the war raging out there in the galaxy. According to the Ellimist, we were both pivot points upon which the tide of the war could be turned. We couldn't just sit there and do nothing. To do so would be sickeningly irresponsible. I needed to leave to protect my people. Both my people.

Yet, to allow myself to become a host to Visser Three was also irresponsible. Inside my mind, he would have access to all the information I knew about humans and planet Earth. That was invaluable.

A sudden thought occurred to me. Some of our Andalite scientists had posited years ago that host/Yeerk memory transferral went both ways. They had claimed that the blending process could cause the host to gain memories of the Yeerks. If Visser Three entered my mind, then surely I would be able to gain strategic information about Yeerk battle plans. Of course, this information would be next-to-useless if I couldn't get Visser Three out of my head again.

Besides, there was always Alloran to consider.

I sighed. There was no solution to this that seemed palatable. Alloran was already a host. He'd been so for several years. If we remained on this planet, then he'd continue to be one. This didn't make what I was contemplating any better though. If Visser Three was to ever be convinced to leave my head, then he would need to be assured that Alloran would remain as a ready host for him. I would be dooming Alloran yet again.

Could I do doom him to that life?

Could I do nothing and possibly doom everything?

I closed all four of my eyes and sunk my hooves into the soft ground. I knew my decision. I knew what I had to do, as unpleasant as it was.

With a deep breath, I began walking in the direction of Visser Three's cave.

**Author Notes**: This was a shorter 'filler' chapter; however, I thought this was an appropriate place to end the chapter. Thank you to everybody who has been reading and reviewing! I really appreciate it!


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